Europa's surface ice is constantly changing, according to new spectra from the James Webb Space Telescope. (Image credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Image processing: Kevin M. Gill CC BY 3.0)
Icy worlds may seem frozen in time and space because they are, well, icy. However, planetary scientists recognize that all worlds are subject to change, no matter how long it takes. This is also true for Europa, one of Jupiter’s four largest moons. Recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have focused on Europa’s surface ice and show that it is constantly changing.
Dr. Ujjwal Raut of the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) reported on the changes that JWST has recorded. Not only is there amorphous ice on Europa’s surface, but there is also evidence of crystalline ice scattered across it. This indicates an active source of water, such as a subsurface ocean. It also indicates geological processes that are affecting the surface. The changes observed on Europa are short-term, perhaps lasting as little as two weeks in some places.
“Our data showed strong indications that the observed changes must be coming from an internal source, possibly a subsurface ocean nearly 20 miles (30 kilometers) beneath Europa’s thick icy crust,” Routt said. “This area of fractured surface materials could indicate geological processes that are bringing subsurface materials to the surface. When we see traces of CO2 at the surface, we believe they must have come from an ocean beneath. The evidence for a liquid ocean beneath Europa’s icy crust is becoming increasingly compelling, which makes this particularly exciting as we continue to gather new data.”
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