Europa PR, A couple of new posts to the Photojournal |
Europa PR, A couple of new posts to the Photojournal |
Dec 20 2007, 09:26 PM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321 |
Thick or Thin Ice Shell on Europa?
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10131 Europa Tide Movie http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10149 I'm not sure that there is any new science involved. Seems to me like some nice eye candy for the purpose of getting Europa into the collective consciousness before the next flagship is chosen. |
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Nov 18 2011, 02:58 AM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
(Don't think they are tholins, more likely salts or other stains from water-soluble materials)
-------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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Nov 18 2011, 04:00 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 316 Joined: 1-October 06 Member No.: 1206 |
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Nov 18 2011, 12:03 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Where would the tholins come from? Tholins form from irradiation and zapping of mixes of methane and nitrogen. If tholins are forming on Europa, it would be from zapping of small organics encapsulated in the ices as clathrates. I'm not saying it's not possible that the stains are organic molecules, but my first suspect would be salts from below. EDIT: yup, the dark stuff is consistent with hydrated sulfuric acid. See: Shirley et al. EPSC 2011, 6, (freely availalbe): http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPS...PS2011-1201.pdf and (pay for article, abstract here): Orlando et al., Icarus 177 (2005) 528-533. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/artic...019103505001983 -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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