Scientists think Europa's ice shell is 10 to 15 miles (15 to 25 kilometers) thick, floating on an ocean 40 to 100 miles (60 to 150 kilometers) deep. So while Europa is only one-fourth the diameter of Earth, its ocean may contain twice as much water as Earth's global ocean.
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Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is made of silicate rock and has a water-ice crust and probably an iron–nickel core. It has a very thin atmosphere, ...
... ice existed between the crust and deep interior. There also were tantalizing hints that perhaps Europa had a warm interior at some time in the past, and ...
A thick ice shell makes photosynthesis highly unlikely on Europa. Organisms would not have rapid or easy access to the surface. If organisms inside Europa can ...
Dec 20, 2022 · New research shows that even smaller impacts can warm and soften enough ice on Jupiter's moon Europa to send material sinking into the ...
Nov 18, 2020 · Theory and observation indicate that Europa's icy shell is around 15 to 25 kilometers (10 to 15 miles) thick, overlying an ocean approximately ...
Mar 27, 2023 · Europa's subsurface ocean is heated from below via tidal heating and radioactive decay of the rocky interior, while being cooled from above by ...
May 3, 2023 · Europa's icy crust gives it an albedo — light reflectivity — of 0.64, one of the highest of all of the moons in the entire solar system.
Mar 21, 2024 · A new study published in journal Science Advances has estimated Europa's ice shell to be at least 20 kilometres thick. Europa has a water ice ...
