Jupiter’s moon hosts ingredients for life

Images from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal that Jupiter’s moon Europa may hold carbon dioxide in the ocean beneath its icy shell, meaning it could harbour conditions suitable for life


STRUCTURE OF EUROPA

Ice crust
10-30km thick

Ocean
Up to 160km deep

Interior
Silicate rock

Core
Iron

Diameter 3,138km


“CHAOS TERRAIN”

Plume of warm water rises, melting ice which breaks and then refreezes

Rising warm water brings CO2 and salts to surface 
Sodium chloride (salt) detected in 2019


ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR LIFE
Hydrogen
Carbon 
Nitrogen 
Oxygen 
Phosphorus
Sulphur


REGIONS WHERE CO2 DETECTED

JWST image

Powys Regio

Tara Regio
Highest concentration of CO2 ice found in geologically young area of disrupted and resurfaced terrain

135 90 45
EUROPA
Equator


Sources: Science, Scientific American
Pictures: NASA
© GRAPHIC NEWS