Archive for the 'Space' Tag
Otherworldly Voices 17 comments
What Would Your Voice Sound Like On Other Moons and Planets?
Scream, shout and yell into the vast and infinite realms of space in the ever-optimistic hope that someone or something might just hear you and do you think anyone or anything will cheerily respond to you? Maybe. But it always depends on whether anyone or anything can hear you!
Shouting your head off on another world doesn't guarantee the noisy and well-loved sound of your terran-based vocal cords will resound in quite the same way in the atmospheres of other worlds comfortably nestled amongst the stars.
On the cosy home world of Earth sound whizzes happily and easily through the atmosphere thanks to a distinct lack of vibrations being absorbed by our gassy air. This is one of the particularly pleasing results of lots of nitrogen and just a tiny scrap of molecules of the carbon dioxide variety. The other handy bonus is of course that we can breathe…. Minor detail but worth a mention
Things start to get a little bit weird however, should you be posturing and screaming on worlds that are clearly not Earth. Different worlds, different atmospheric densities and all that scientific, technical stuff.
Most of us are probably at least vaguely aware, (don't worry if you're not, maybe for the best!), that "in space no-one can hear you scream!) This detail tends to apply too, on the majority of worlds in space. By and large they don't have any atmospheres at all, and the ones that do have ridiculously thin and weedy atmospheres that contain so few gases that it would be impossible for them to carry even a single stingy little sound wave. Not that this would worry you overly much as you wouldn't be able to breathe anyway and therefore wouldn't be alive to be annoyed by it. If you happened to be a planetary native of that particular world specially adapted to create vocalisations on a super-sonic sound scale, of the nature that would shatter lesser worlds into a zillion pieces then you might just about manage to make yourself heard in some shape or form. Although it would most probably end up sounding something more like a whispering little sound in the vast void of outer space.
Posted October 11, 2020 by europasicewolf in Astrobiology, Astronomy, Astrophysics
Tagged with Earth, Moons, Planets, Screaming, Shouting, Singing, Space, Vocals
Shungite – Rock of Profound Enigmas 16 comments
Shungite – A Rock of Profound Enigmas
An Exotic, Alien Rock with Mysterious Abilities
Shungite's origins and presence on Earth remain an unsolved mystery. Scientists have estimated its age to be in the region of 2 billion years, and they know it is a "Precambrian carbonaceous natural stone of organic origin." It resembles coal in appearance and is found in very ancient layers of the Earth's crust that were formed long before life existed on Earth. However, 2 billion years ago there were no forests. where carbides, e.g. coal could have formed.
The atmosphere lacked oxygen and there were only proteobactria living in it. The sudden large deposits of Shungite appeared to materialise out of nowhere.
Scientific Theories Regarding Shungite's Origins
One theory suggests that it may have formed in prehistoric oceans, where an assortment of microscopic organisms once existed. When they died it is considered likely that they disintegrated and blended with the sea-floor, to create Shungite. Over time it is thought to have found its way onto dry land during the time of changes in the form of the land.
Some scientists considered was that shungite was one of the properties of a gigantic meteorite that brought with it to the Earth a fragment of Phaeton – a decomposed planet believed to be home to carbon-based life forms. It brought these life forms to Earth and as a result of the impact the shungite field formed in the area.
Some researchers maintain that Shungite could have volcanic features due to its configuration and assembly. They suggest that Shungite could have been volcanically ejected and have engage in a similar function to the proposed Phaeton splinter.
Wherever it originally appeared from, shungite has unique healing qualities and an abundance of remarkable characteristics, making it indisputably, a mineral like nothing else on earth
Unique Qualities
It is thought that it embodies an energy capable of eliminating all human health hazards endangering our lives, and its dynamic commodities give it capable of highly effective healing qualities.
No other known natural material to our current knowledge contains fullerenes – the most potent of powerful anti-oxidants that safeguard our body cells from the damaging effect of free radicals. It is also a very diverse form of carbon (carbon also being the foundation of life on the Earth)
Shungite Pyramid Credit: Google Photos
Beneficial Shungite
Shungite's other beneficial qualities include:
Electro-magnetic frequency (EMF) radiation protection
Electro-Magnetic Frequency (EMF) Radiation
In today's world we are surrounded by all manner of technological devices that expose the bulk of people to high levels of electro-magnetic frequency radiation. Scientific research proves that the negative effect of our technology (EMF Vulnerability) can be reduced using Shungite.
Geopathic Stress
Zones where Earth's natural energy is disrupted by low-level electro-magnetic frequency (EMF) often cause Geopathic stress and tension amongst those people who spend time in them. The EMF stems from:
Certain mineral concentrations
Underground steams
Electricity networks, etc.
Symptoms of geopathic stress include:
Weakened immune system affecting performance, well-being and health
Shungite has proven to be a perfect solution when it comes to coping with geopathic stress and reducing the negative effects of the geopathic zones. It also activates the human body's healing qualities.
Shungite Water
It is used as a natural water filter, detoxifying water, and it has been proven that consuming shungite water provides an upbeat invigorating effect and helps to deal with health issues that include:
skin related problems
chronic respiratory issues
aching joints
muscles and digestive system problems
https://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/shungite.html www.karelianheritage.com
Posted May 6, 2019 by europasicewolf in Uncategorized
Tagged with 3200 Phaethon, Ancient oceans, Carbon, Coal, Crystal Healing, Earth, EMF, Geopathic Stress, Precambrian, Prehistoric, Shungite, Space
New Year 2019 Flyby – Ultima Thule! 24 comments
New Horizons – Ultima Thule Flyby! Making history in New Year 2019!
New Horizons (NASA's spacecraft) historic $700 million mission to Pluto launched in January 2006 and arriving on July 14, 2015. It was the first ever flyby of a probe past Pluto and it did so from approximately 7,800 miles (12,550 km) away.
The Ultima Thule flyby is a continuation of this mission and will take New Horizons into new territory far beyond Pluto at the solar system's edge, to an area of icy worlds in space, further out than the orbit of Neptune, (1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometres on) in a region known as the Kuiper Belt.
On New Year's Day at 12:33 a.m. EST (0533 GMT) hopefully, New Horizons will flyby Ultima Thule (2014 MU69) at under 2,200 miles (3,500 km) away. At this point it will be 4 billion miles+ (6.4 billion km+) away from Earth.
Ultima Thule is, in point of fact, an enigmatic solar system body that scientists know almost nothing about. It is about 23-mile-wide (37 km) and currently it may or may not be just a single body. Alternatively, it is possible that it is made up of two objects that are in fact in orbit around one another.
NASA has given us the opportunity to send a message to Ultima Thule. Six choices were offered and Icewolf has chosen "Go New Horizons, Go NASA!" And we even get a certificate! Cosmic way to start the New Year 2019!!
"Travelling at light speed, the signals carrying these messages will reach the spacecraft about six hours after being beamed from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (in Laurel, Maryland, which manages the New Horizons mission for NASA), largest dish antenna, on the very same day that New Horizons flies by Ultima Thule! How cool is that?" – New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.
Happy New Year 2019!!
Posted December 31, 2018 by europasicewolf in Astronomy, Events and Shows
Tagged with Flyby, NASA missions, New Horizons, Pluto, Science, Space, Technology, Travel, Ultima Thule
3200 Phaethon – Outlandish Blue Space Rock 14 comments
Rare Blue Asteroid 3200 Phaethon
To observe a blue asteroid is an extraordinary occurrence, and to stumble on a blue comet is an unprecedented phenomenon. Asteroid (3200) Phaethon is an outlandish blue-coloured asteroid which in addition has been discerned to be acting on occasion in much the same way as a comet, and it is proving to be well beyond the mysterious and remarkable status that its international investigators originally credited it with.
Most asteroids range in colour from lacklustre grey to varying shades of red, depending on the nature of their physical surface matter. Phaethon is not only one of the very few rare blue asteroids in our galaxy but furthermore, looks to be one of the most outstanding shades of blue amongst celestial bodies of its kind, including comets.
Orbit of 3200 Phaethon – Image Credit: By Tomruen – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64315495
Phaethon's blue colouring is derived from reflecting extra blue-end spectrum light and is unvarying across the whole of its surface, suggesting it has relatively recently taken a roasting by the Sun. The implication is further enforced by the surface temperature of Phaeton which can be an aluminium-melting 800 degrees C, (1,500 degrees F) approximately, due to capacity of its decidedly eccentric orbit to bring Phaethon bringing it into such close vicinity of the Sun.
Phaethon has the typical appearance of an asteroid in the night sky (a dot) despite that the standard implications say that it is a dead comet (indistinct sphere and a tail). It also appears to be where the December Geminids meteor shower springs from. Phaeton was detected in 1983, up to which point meteor showers were connected with active comets rather than asteroids in scientific circles.
Phaethon has proved something of an enigma enjoying both asteroid qualities and the appearance and behaviour of a comet. The result being that it's hard to say which one it bears the closest resemblance to. It is alone, other than one other celestial body in the galaxy in discharging a miniature tail of dust at its nearest point to the sun. Consequently, the distinguishing features customarily understood to single out comets from asteroids suddenly became very unclear.
It is possible that Phaethon could either be a relative of, or even an actual broken-off chunk of another blue asteroid known as Pallas. A large and much more distant asteroid, Pallas has been observed to be approximately twice as reflective as Phaethon which itself has proved many shades darker than it had first been considered to be. However, this does nothing to help in explaining the potential relationship between asteroids Phaethon and Pallas.
Another possible Phaethon relative, is 2005 UD, small blue asteroid also under observation by astronomers, along with Phaethon, to decipher the mysteries inherent in these two blue asteroids and discover whether the same rare properties exist in them both. Such research and its future results will support astronomer's efforts to figure-out the secrets of the enigmatic blue asteroid Phaethon.
Sources: University of Arizona, https://www.sciencedaily.com ("Rare blue asteroid reveals itself during fly-by.")
Posted November 12, 2018 by europasicewolf in Astronomy
Tagged with 2005 UD, 3200 Phaethon, Asteroids, Blue, Comets, Pallas, Science, Space
Global Martian Dust Storm 16 comments
The View from Insight! 🙂
It's pretty packed here on the Mars Insight Probe and there's nothing much to see outside right now… so we've been watching live streams of the dust storm taking over Mars to pass the time…Not very impressed with the view there right now either! 😉
The Martian dust storm that has been engulfing the red planet for the last two weeks or so has now ballooned into full-blown global dust event magnitudes (officially known as a "planet-encircling" dust event.) as of 20th June. The atmospheric dust-haze now surrounding Mars and blocking out the sunlight as it covers the sky, is in the region of six to eight times greater than its seasonally normal density. In the absence of sunlight dusty red Mars has taken on a weirdly spooky-shadowless appearance.
Poor little "Oppy" (NASA's Opportunity rover) has been somewhat swamped, being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the Martian dust storm has diminished the sunlight it relies on for power, to such an extent (like completely obliterated it) that "Oppy" has been compelled to postpone all of its science activities until further notice. Without enough available power from its solar panels Oppy could not even "call home," and NASA and Oppy lost contact altogether on 12th June 2018.
Over on a different part of the planet at the infamous Gale Crater, Curiosity (NASA's Curiosity rover), which has been hard at work studying the Martian soil in the region, has fared considerably better and it isn't anticipated to be unduly bothered by the dust. Despite the antics of the Martian dust storm diminishing both sunlight and visibility in Gale Crater, Curiosity, who arrived on Mars five years after the last Martian dust storm of this nature, in 2007, has the edge over "Oppy" because it sports a nuclear-powered battery running 24/7 and doesn't therefore have power issues to sweat over, unlike "Oppy".
The offending dusty haze floating around the Martian atmosphere, resulting from the storm which is blocking out the sunlight, is known as "tau." This tau level is at an all-time high rising tau level 8.0 at Curiosity's location in Gale Crater. No higher tau has ever been recorded by the mission. The area close to Oppy's location last measured a tau of almost level 11, and at such a high dust intensity it rendered impossible the job of Oppy – the longest working Mars rover, to provide any kind of precise measurements.
Of course we experience dust storms of our own here on Earth. They occur in the desert regions of, for example, the Middle East, North Africa and some southwest regions of the USA . However, thanks to our thicker atmosphere and its structural design along with the stronger gravity of Earth than on Mars, the dust is compelled to settle rather than floating around the atmosphere, as on Mars. Our planet also benefits from the presence of land-growing vegetation.
Usually dust storms occurring on Mars are confined locally. This current storm is distinctive in that it covers an area the equivalent of the combination of Earth's N America and Russia. On a positive note it is a great opportunity to gain a more advanced knowledge of the way in which these Martian storms occur, progress and ultimately influence the red planet.
In the meantime Wolfie is passing the time chomping through stray pieces of liver cake floating past, posing for selfies and eyeing up the strange Manor-like building drifting randomly past the windows…. 🙂
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
www.space.com
www.astronomy.com
Posted July 2, 2018 by europasicewolf in Astronomy, Environment and Climate
Tagged with Curiosity Rover, Environment, Gale Crater, Insight Boarding Pass, Liver Cake, Mars, Martian dust storm, NASA, Opportunity, Science, Space
What if There was Life on Other Worlds? 19 comments
The UN Outer Space Treaty and Planetary Protection
What is Planetary Protection?
Planetary protection refers to 'interplanetary contamination' – protecting solar system bodies (i.e., planets, moons, comets, and asteroids) from 'biological contamination' by Earth organisms, (Forward contamination – the transfer of 'viable organisms' from Earth to another interplanetary body), and protecting Earth from the transmission of alien organisms, to Earth's biosphere e.g. as a result of 'extra-terrestrial sample-return missions.' (Back contamination)
Why is Planetary Protection Important?
Planetary protection is a directive code in the blueprint of an interplanetary assignment, and is critical for several important reasons:
mirrors the unknown nature of the space environment
to safeguard our ability to study other worlds in detail, in their natural conditions
to prevent contamination that would make it difficult/impossible to find potential life on another world
to ensure that we take judicious safety measures to shield Earth's biosphere in case it does.
The legal basis for planetary protection is located in Article IX of the United Nations Outer Space Treaty ratified in 1967 by the US, USSR, and UK.
"Article IX: … States Parties to the Treaty shall pursue studies of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, and conduct exploration of them so as to avoid their harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from the introduction of extra-terrestrial matter and, where necessary, shall adopt appropriate measures for this purpose."
Requirements for Protecting Life on Other Bodies
Planetary protection prerequisites for each mission and interplanetary body in focus are ascertained based on the scientific advice of the Space Studies Board, NASA or international policy guidelines.
Each mission is categorized according to:
Type of mission (e.g. flyby, orbiter, or lander)
Nature of its destination (e.g. a planet, moon, comet, or asteroid)
And the planetary bodies that may be discovered over the course of the mission (e.g. Mars and Europa).
Proposal to Increase Time-Scale for Planetary Protection
In the case of  Europa, the majority opinion was, that not only should Europa be kept it is not contamination-free during current times of exploration, but that it could well be scientifically important enough to warrant being kept in an un-touched and un-contaminated condition for future generations to benefit from studying too.
"One consequence of this view is that Europa must be protected from contamination for an open-ended period, until it can be demonstrated that no ocean exists or that no organisms are present. Thus, we need to be concerned that over a time scale on the order of 10 million to 100 million years (an approximate age for the surface of Europa), any contaminating material is likely to be carried into the deep ice crust or into the underlying ocean."
(The minority opinion was that these protection measures are unnecessarily strong.)
But What About the Natives??!!
It is natural that we should want to explore worlds with the potential for life, and even to exploit them, but what if these worlds, such as Europa, do prove to have natives? There are different views on this subject. For example:
If the life is only microbial then there is no cause to worry about it. We should not let microbes interfere with potential colonisation.
It has its own ecosystem, and this should be left alone. However, if the long-term aim was to terraform Europa it would change the climate of the moon along with the rest of Europa.
Will we as egotistical humans decide, that despite knowing that this is a world that we have had no hand in creating, none-the-less that we should take measures to change it anyway? Or will we recognise our boundaries and appreciate that we have a unique standing in the cosmos, and therefore put aside our arrogance and leave untouched, a world, and possibly an eco-system, that we have had no hand in creating?
Europa's Icewolf's Personal Howl!
My personal howl on this subject is that absolutely Europa needs to be protected from Earth contamination! We do not know the consequences of any potential contamination. And precautions should be taken so that accurate observations can be made regarding any life found on Europa. If we find life there, it will have its own ecosystem and we should leave it alone and allow it to be a nature reserve moon. We may even be able to find ways to improve its habitat to help its life to thrive in ways not yet possible for it on icy Europa. It may be possible to ring fence the inhabited areas to reduce human contact, but it seems to me that such action would serve only to damage Europa, and ultimately this moon needs to be left alone!
As mentioned earlier, backward contamination by micro-organisms (e.g. bacteria, certain algae and fungi) from other worlds are also a risk, when carried back to Earth on probes. which could have catastrophic upshots for Earth dwellers. Our immune systems will not have any resistance to extra-terrestrial micro-organisms. Not only would our bodies be totally unable to fight them it is pretty much guaranteed that we would have no time and no opportunity to research the creation of the necessary vaccine. Therefore, it will be essential to have high-level, cutting-edge systems for filtering and highly advanced procedures in place.
What do YOU think?!!
Discovering beyond all doubt that alien life does exist would have big impacts on Earth.
Inevitably there would be changes to terrestrial science, technology, religion, politics and ecosystems as a result of contact with extra-terrestrial life, whether it be microbial or a technologically advanced civilisation.
Consequences for Society and Cultural Back-Lashes
Nobody will avoid the impact from the culture shock that would occur if we were to discover extra-terrestrial life, whatever form it might take. We would be forced to face the sudden reality that we were not a unique exception in the universe, which could cause a very serious back-lash in society as we know it. A culture shock of this nature could last for decades, possibly centuries. It would not only be ourselves affected in the deepest and most profound of ways but also our children and our children's children. As we reach out to new, unexplored worlds with no real knowledge of what we might find there, exactly how the potential revelation of extra-terrestrial life and the impact on future generations is an issue that requires our consideration…
…NOW!!
https://planetaryprotection.nasa.gov/overview
https://www.state.gov/t/isn/5181.htm
http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/publications/STSPACE11E.pdf (SpaceTreaty PDF)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_protection
www.space.com (What Finding Alien Life Could Mean for Earth)
www.wikipedia.com (Potential Cultural Impact)
Posted April 11, 2018 by europasicewolf in Astrobiology, Environment and Climate, Extra Terrestrial Intelligence
Tagged with aliens, Europa, Extra Terrestrials, Planetary Protection, Society and Culture, Space, UN Outer Space Treaty
Another Earth? Exoplanet Kelper-452b 32 comments
What Would it Be Like to Live on Earth's Cousin?
The discovery of Kelper 452b was announced on 23/05/15, and is 1,400 Light years away.
Photo Credit: Kelper 452-b JPL/NASA
An alien experience!
Exoplanet Kelper 452-b is 60% wider than Earth and approximately 5x as massive so much stronger surface gravity.
This provides for a great workout! For the manly among us this essentially means it will make you much stronger 🙂
For everybody chilling on this Earth cousin, the higher gravity would probably lead to significant body changes long term – e.g. becoming stockier built. This is probably not a plus if you're already on the stocky side…you may become very short and squat…like a rotund garden gnome 😉
A Familiar Experience
As this world's sun is roughly the same distance away as on Earth, the light factor would be much the same as on our home-world and Earth plants transported to its cousin-world could photosynthesis the same as on Earth.
So Kelper 452-b is similar to Earth but not the same. Its sun is 6 billion years old whereas our Sun is only 4.5 billion years old. Kelper 452-b's sun is at a far more energetic life-stage therefore it is hotter. And it is about 10% larger and 20% brighter in the sky. Not bad for the sun tan then 😉
Kelper 452-b completes one orbit every 385 days so it's year is only about 20 days longer than Earth's. Pretty much home from home.
"…substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet."
(Jon Jenkins, Kelper data analysis lead at NASA's Ames Research Centre in Moffat Field, California. (Led team that discovered Kelper 452-b) )
Posted October 19, 2016 by europasicewolf in Astrobiology, Astronomy, Environment and Climate, Uncategorized
Tagged with Alien planets, Earth Cousin, Environment, Exoplanet, Kelper 452-b, Science, Space
Titanium Moon 37 comments
Precious treasure on Earth's Moon!
The perfect place to purchase that outrageously expensive gift of precious jewellery to win over the treasured love of your life gentlemen!
Guaranteed Result!!
(Wolfie knows these things…!! 😉 )
Thanks to the US Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and one of its onboard cameras a brand new Moon map has been successfully fashioned.
The results show that the Moon has there is a vast quantity of titanium ore which has proved to be as much as 10 times richer than that found on our home planet. It reached this conclusion by analysing the titanium ore on the Moon's surface in seven different light wavelengths during an extensive scan.
Exciting news! This could be the forerunner of a future mining colony on the Moon!
Moon Shades of Titanium
"Looking up at the Moon , it's surface appears painted with shades of grey, at least to the human eye. But with the right instruments the Moon can appear colourful." ~ Mark Robinson of Arizona State University.
The maria (lunar plains) can appear reddish in some places and blue in others. Although subtle, these colour variations can tell us important things about the chemistry and evolution of the lunar surface. They indicate the titanium and iron abundance, as well as the maturity of a lunar soil."
~ Mark Robinson of Arizona State University
Consequential Worth of Titanium
Titanium is a highly significant and intensely hunted metal because:
• It has extraordinarily weightless qualities
• It is at least as strong as steel if not more so.
Consequently Titanium can safely said to be a VERY pricey metal!
Titanium in the Lunar Maria
Titanium discovered on the Moon in the ilmenite compound is, on our home-world only traceable in around a microscopic one percent of comparable ores. The lunar highlands contain approximately the same minuscule amount as Earth.
The lunar maria however, based on this latest Moon map, show evidence of one percent – 10 percent of Titanium – an immense amount by comparison to Earth's supplies.
"Lunar titanium is mostly found in the mineral ilmenite, a compound containing iron, titanium and oxygen," ~ Mark Robinson, and Brett Denevi of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, in Nantes, western France.
Future Lunar Colonies
In the future ilmenite could be broken down by Lunar Miners who would both live and work on the surface of the Moon to release the iron, titanium and oxygen contained in the ilmentite compound.
Also, particles contained in the solar wind, including helium and hydrogen particles can be very efficiently contained by titanium-rich minerals, according to Apollo data.
In terms of future lunar settlements and their human populations helium and hydrogen gases would be an essential and highly valued resource.
If you have got this far down the page and STILL not wooed the treasured love of your lives gentlemen you clearly DIDN'T "Shoot for the Moon" and only have yourselves to blame!
We ladies like to be spoilt….Wolfie knows all about that!
So! If you're still hanging around reading this JUMP TO IT! Shoot for the Moon!
Off you go now…toddle off! We are waiting!!
BYEEEEEEEEE!!
Posted April 18, 2012 by europasicewolf in Astronomy
Tagged with Colonisation, Earth, Love, Lunar, Lunar Colonies, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Maria, Miners, Mining, Moon, Precious Metal, Romance, Space, Stars, Titanium, Titanium Jewellery, Treasure
New Discovery! Great Lake On Jupiter's Icy Moon Europa! 40 comments
Great Lake of Europa
INTRODUCTION –SEARCHING FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH
A large liquid lake has been discovered just below Europa's icy shell may provide a habitat for life.
Europa's icy surface, as viewed from NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Visible are plains of bright ice, jumbled cracks an indication of a sub-surface heat source that run to the horizon, and dark patches that likely contain both ice and dirt. CREDIT: NASA/Ted Stryk
HOW HAVE SCIENTISTS DETERMINED THE EXISTENCE OF THESE LAKES ON EUROPA?
New research studies show Jupiter's moon could have numerous large lakes just beneath its icy shell, and consequently closer to energy from the Sun, potentially providing a habitat for life.
JUPITER'S ICY MOON EUROPA IN BRIEF
Europa is one of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter which has at least 63 moons in total including Europa
Europa is slightly smaller than Earth's moon and orbits Jupiter every 3.5 days. It has an iron core, a rocky mantle (shell), a radius of 1,569 km and it is 670,900 km distant from Jupiter.
Although Europa is about 500 million miles away from earth it comes closer to resembling our planet and providing potential for life than anything else in the solar system
There is a large, subsurface ocean of salty water deep beneath its frozen, ice pack crust thought to be in some areas tens of kilometers thick.
Recently discovered lakes appear to be embedded closer to the surface.
Europa has more water than all the oceans of Earth
EUROPA'S GREAT LAKE
New research: A large liquid lake discovered approximately just 1.5 miles (3km) below Europa's icy shell. Estimated to be equal in volume to all the North American Great Lakes combined.
Europa could have numerous large shallow lakes just beneath its icy shell placing them closer to energy from the Sun.
One such lake lies underneath Thera Macula, one of Europa's chaos terrains. Thera Macula (false color) is a region of likely active chaos production above a large liquid water lake in the icy shell of Europa. Color indicates topographic heights relative to background terrain. Purples and reds indicate the highest terrain.
CREDIT: Paul Schenk/NASA
Research also explains how nutrients and energy could get from the moon's surface to its buried ocean.
In doing so they could possibly provide a habitat for life which would be a key finding in the search for places where life might exist beyond Earth.
Europa's "Great Lake." Scientists speculate many more exist throughout the shallow regions of the moon's icy shell.
CREDIT: Britney Schmidt/Dead Pixel VFX/Univ. of Texas at Austin
HABITAT FOR LIFE
Scientists believe that
The interaction between the Europa ice pack and the subsurface bodies of water transfer nutrients and energy that may lead to life existing under the Europa surface.
Life in the oceans of Europa would be similar to that which exists deep beneath the oceans on Earth where light does not penetrate.
Liquid water is thought to be necessary for life,
Microbial organisms may survive in this buried sea.
The "lake" holds potential as a habitat for life, and there may be many more such lakes throughout the shallower regions of Europa's shell, said lead author Britney Scmhidt, postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Geophysics.
"The potential for exchange of material between the surface and subsurface is a big key for astrobiology. Europa's subsurface harbours much of what we believe is necessary for life but chemical nutrients found at the surface are likely vital for driving biology."~Wes Patterson, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. and a co-author of the study.
"Now we see evidence that it's a thick ice shell that can mix vigorously, and new evidence for giant shallow lakes. That could make Europa and its ocean more habitable. The material cycled into the ocean via these lakes may make Europa's ocean even more habitable than previously imagined. The lakes may even be habitats themselves."~Britney Schmidt, lead author.
CHAOS TERRAIN ON EUROPA POINTS TO SUBSURFACE LAKES
Determining the existence of such a body of water
Chaos terrain on Europa points to subsurface lakes. (NASA/JPL/Ted Stryk)
Europa's surface is cold, around minus 170 degree Celsius (minus 100 K). The bottom of the ice is slightly warmer.
Two circular bumpy features on Europa's surface called "chaos terrains." similar to features on Earth suggest that Europa is still geologically active heated likely by tidal forces. These tidal forces provide more heat on Europa than would normally be the case for a celestial body that far away from the sun.
That means plumes of warm water well up against the Europa ice cap, fracturing them, to churn the ice and subsurface water causing the "chaos" terrain features.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE ON EUROPA?
Nutrients and energy are transferred from the frozen surface to the vast ocean below resulting in the possibility that environments suitable for life could exist under the Europa surface. Life in the oceans of Europa would be similar to that which exists deep beneath the oceans on Earth where light does not penetrate. This could also mean that Europa is more likely to harbour extra-terrestrial life than Mars.
"On Earth, it is the volcano [melting the ice]. On Europa, it is the warm ice plume coming up from below" ~Schmidt
"You and I might not notice the difference, but geologically it's very different. Heat melts some of the ice into enormous lakes beneath the crust. Think of Europa as one giant ice shelf floating on a global ocean, with a really rocky core." ~ Paul Schenk, of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston.
The icy moon Europa rising above Jupiter's cloud tops. The picture was one of a handful of the Jupiter system that New Horizons took primarily for artistic, rather than scientific, value.
CREDIT: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
CONFIRMATION? – the next step in confirming liquid water under Europa?
Confirmation of the existence of these lakes will involve a thorough investigation of both above and below the icy surface of Europa meaning a future mission to Europa is essential. The National Research Council's Planetary Science Decadal Survey gave such missions one of the highest priority ratings.
FUTURE EUROPA EXPLORATION MISSIONS PROPOSALS
A joint NASA/EUROPEAN SPACE STATION SPACE mission to Europa known as the EUROPA JUPITER SYSTEM MISSION is being considered. The intention being that the EUROPA ORBITER probe, which is estimated to launch in 2020 arriving in orbit off Europa in 2028 will by remote study hopefully give clues as to how the ice layers and the subsurface ocean interact. It will also study the organic exchange between them which could result in the existence of microscopic life in the subsurface ocean and lakes.
The EUROPA ICEPICK MISSION would involve the drilling through of Europa's ice pack and a unique opportunity to explore the subsurface ocean, in the hope of finding some form of life and also other valuable scientific data.
"Europa is likely to have a deep ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust, making it an object of enormous interest as a possible abode for life," ~Planetary scientist Steve Squyres, with Cornell University
Funding for such missions to Europa is very uncertain. Most likely the Europa landers would cost anything from $800 million to $2 billion and that is only a rough estimate. This would involve input from several nations in order to obtain the necessary funding to make any one of these missions a reality.
NEWLY DISCOVERED~THE GREAT LAKES OF EUROPA!
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Posted January 14, 2012 by europasicewolf in Astrobiology, Astronomy, Extra Terrestrial Intelligence
Tagged with Astrobiology, Astronomy, Europa, Europa Jupiter System Mission, Europa Orbiter, European Space Agencey, Galileo, Geophysics, Great Lakes, Jupiter, Moons of Jupiter, NASA, New Horizons, Planetary habitability, Planetary science, scientist, Space, Space colonization, Technology