Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the rate of oxygen production on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Using NASA’s Juno spacecraft, researchers have directly measured charged oxygen and hydrogen particles from Europa’s atmosphere for the first time.
Previous estimates of oxygen production on Europa were found to be much lower than previously thought, highlighting the need for further exploration of this intriguing moon. Europa has long been considered a prime candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system, with its potential subsurface ocean believed to be a key factor in supporting life.
On September 29, 2022, Juno observed Europa at an altitude of 353 kilometers using its Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument. The process of splitting water molecules on Europa’s ice surface produces hydrogen and oxygen molecules in a two-to-one ratio, leading to an estimated oxygen production rate of around 12 kilograms per second.
It is theorized that some of the oxygen produced on Europa could potentially find its way into the oceans below the moon’s icy sheet, providing a potential source of sustenance for any potential life forms. This discovery has far-reaching implications for future missions to the Jovian system, including the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission and NASA’s upcoming Europa Clipper mission.
Juice, launched on April 14, 2023, is set to arrive at Jupiter in 2031 to study Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Meanwhile, the Europa Clipper mission is currently undergoing testing ahead of its launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in October 2024. This mission will conduct 49 flybys of Europa to study its habitability and potential to support life.
These missions are crucial in helping scientists understand ocean worlds and their potential to support life. Europa, with its subsurface ocean and potential sources of water, is a key target in the search for life within our solar system. As the mysteries of Europa continue to be unraveled, the possibilities of finding extraterrestrial life within our cosmic neighborhood grow ever closer.
