[X] My Assistant

[Juramike]

Now being picked up by the news, but here is the original press release regarding an estimate of oxygen in Europa's subsurface ocean:

http://dps.aas.org/press/2009/Greenberg_9_October_2009.pdf

So how could this estimate affect the instrument package for the Jupiter-Europa flagship mission?
Are there ways to quantify oxygen in fresher ice from orbit?

(RADAR determination? Weird dielectric properties? Metal oxidation states? Rust?)

[Julius]

For sure it would be sensible if we're sending a mission to Europa, it should initially consist of an orbiter equipped with high resolution camera ,VIMS and most important ice penetrating radar to be able to determine the thickness of the icy crust and variations in thickness.This would spot the best locations where to attempt drilling thru the Europan crust for access to the underlying watery ocean.Follow up mission including hydrobot could then be properly designed depending on the findings from the orbiter mission.

PS:Havent read Greenbergs book on Europa, but has the role of impacts been given importance as to causing oxygen enrichment to the water ocean??