The Juno Probe's Journey Around Jupiter
Dr. Scott Bolton, from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and a co-author of the study published in "Nature Astronomy", highlights the significance of this discovery. “This is a critical step forward in understanding the possibility of life on Europa. It marks the first in-situ measurement of water components in Europa's atmosphere, indicating conditions that could support life,” Bolton explains.
Dr. Robert Ebert shares similar excitement, noting the novelty of detecting hydrogen and oxygen directly on Europa. "This is the first time we have been able to directly detect hydrogen and oxygen on Europa, confirming its atmosphere is mainly composed of these molecules,” says Ebert.
The source of these elements is the water ice that covers Europa. Jupiter's intense radiation splits the water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. While the lighter hydrogen molecules escape into space, the heavier oxygen molecules linger closer to the moon's surface. There's potential for oxygen to seep into the oceans beneath the ice, fueling metabolic processes.
Dr. Jamey Szalay from Princeton University leads the project and elaborates on the role of Europa's ice cover. “The ice acts like Europa's lungs, absorbing radiation and protecting the ocean underneath while also producing oxygen. This creates a potential oxygen supply for the ocean. Thanks to Juno, we have now precisely estimated oxygen production on Europa at about 26 pounds per second—a figure that refines previous widely varying estimates,” Szalay states.
The discovery came as somewhat of a surprise, as the JADE instrument's primary purpose was to measure charged particles in Jupiter's auroras. “Europa flybys were not initially a part of Juno's mission. JADE was intended for the high-radiation environment of Jupiter, not Europa. Yet it performed exceptionally well in this unanticipated context,” adds Dr. Frederic Allegrini from SwRI.
This new data enhances our understanding of Europa and its potential to harbor life. It supports the planning of future missions to study the moon's subsurface ocean and the possibility of living organisms. "Europa is intriguing because it's likely to have a liquid ocean. Since water is crucial for life, Europa is an excellent candidate for the search for water and potentially life within our Solar System," Dr. Ebert concludes.
