Europa Subsurface Ocean |
Europa Subsurface Ocean |
Nov 22 2005, 10:53 AM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
Regarding the very real possibility Europa harbors an ocean underneath the ice, I'm wondering whether there have been any estimates on how long such an ocean might have been sustained (I'm assuming it's still there today). Are we talking about the entire history of Europa, billions of years or a much more recent thing, only a few millions? I know Enceladus, which recently turned out to be much warmer inside than expected, could have been periodically heated, but not on very long timescales.
I'm primarily interested because of the habitability factor, obviously an ocean which freezes out every once and a while would not make for a good incubator to possible life. Also, supposedly all tidal heating on Europa would cease now, how long would it take for the subsurface to freeze out, that is, what are the thermal conductive properties of the surface ice? Admittedly, I haven't done much research on the subject and if the question was already asked before, I apologize. -------------------- |
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Guest_Myran_* |
Nov 24 2005, 11:40 AM
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Guests |
QUOTE RNeuhaus said: I am still puzzled of this odd behavior Did you mean the behavior of the water? Its not so odd, at 4°C water is densest and so tend to sink, so locally where I live we do see upheavels of lake waters when the surface water that have been warmed during the summer get chilled in the autumn and so turn themselves bottom up. This is actually something good, nutrients get brought back and is a reason we have planty of fish in these arctic waters that would have very little life if it wasnt for this fact. So to adress Richard Trigaux, such convection patterns is the reason that makes me think something might actualy live in that ocean, that said with one emphazis on 'might'. Regardless Europa is our best bet in the solar system for a place where we might find something living. If there ever will be funding for the extremely exensive project of sending one radiation hardened lander with one automated submarine to prove or disprove the fact is another question. Perhaps only in the very distant future. |
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