Europa's ocean lies beneath a 29-kilometer ice shell, new Juno data suggest
TL;DR Summary
A Juno Microwave Radiometer study estimates an average conductive ice shell of about 29 ± 10 km over Europa’s ocean in the observed region, favoring a thick-shell interpretation. The result is model-based and region-specific, not a global map, and factors like salt content or convection could shift the thickness. This finding tightens the barrier between surface ice and the ocean and underscores why Europa Clipper’s radar, gravity and other measurements are needed to test regional variation and the moon’s habitability potential.
- Jupiter's moon Europa hides a saltwater ocean that may contain more than twice the water of all Earth's oceans combined, yet a new measurement puts 29 kilometres of solid ice above it, a barrier taller than three Mount Everests stacked end to end Space Daily
- Why Europa's hidden ocean may be more difficult to reach than scientists thought Phys.org
- Study suggests Europa’s icy shell may block ocean water from reaching the surface Open Access Government
- Limited direct fluid exchange between the deep subsurface ocean and the shallow subsurface environment of Europa Nature
- Could Life Exist Beneath Europa's Ice? WorldAtlas
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