New research has revealed a lot about oxygen levels on Jupiter’s moon Europa using data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft’s 2022 flyby. Unlike the telescopic observations, the Nature Astronomy study suggests that Europa’s frozen surface has less oxygen than previously assumed, which could hinder life in the subterranean ocean.
A new study by U.S. and European scientists found that Europa’s surface water produces between 6 and 18 kilogrammes of oxygen per second, much narrower than previous predictions of up to 1,100 kg. This discovery is crucial to Europa’s subsurface ocean habitability.
Jupiter’s atmosphere produces oxygen and hydrogen, which irradiate the moon’s frozen water shell. Thus, the study challenges past ideas and emphasises the need for more research to prove the astounding results.
James Szalay of Princeton University, one of the main writers, noted that Juno’s first direct whiff of Europa’s diverse ecosystem revealed several secrets. Recent studies have identified oxygen production and refined the range, but more is needed to determine how oxygen escapes into the moon’s atmosphere, how much remains in the ice, and how it will alter the subsurface sea.
The autumn launch of Europa Clipper, the next NASA mission, will illuminate the topic. Europa will undergo a series of precise flybys by spacecraft, adding to the evidence that potentially explains its riddles and the possibility of life beneath its icy shell. Stay tuned for discoveries and watch Europa’s peculiar landscape unfold.
