Europa’s Hidden Ocean May Not Reveal Itself in Surface Plumes
New computer simulations suggest Europa’s icy crust is a formidable barrier: liquid water rising through fractures would churn and rapidly cool, likely freezing into frazil ice before reaching near-surface depths. Therefore, shallow liquid pockets seen by the Europa Clipper (arriving around 2030) may reflect local ice melting rather than direct upwellings from the deep ocean, affecting how scientists interpret potential habitability signals and where to look for clues during future missions (also relevant to JUICE).
