NASA’s Juno spacecraft recently conducted a close flyby of Jupiter’s intriguing moon Europa in 2022, uncovering potential hints of present-day surface activity.
During the flyby, Juno’s Stellar Reference Unit (SRU), a star camera designed to assist in Juno’s onboard attitude determination, captured high-resolution images of Europa’s surface illuminated by Jupiter-shine, or sunlight scattered off Jupiter.
An analysis of the SRU image from the flyby was detailed in an article published in the journal JGR Planets on December 22, 2023. The image reveals an oddly-shaped area of the icy surface, measuring 23 miles by 42 miles (37 kilometers by 67 kilometers), resembling a platypus with a “body” part in the north and a “bill” part in the south. Both regions, connected by a cracked neck-like formation, contain large ice blocks, each approximately 0.62 miles (1 km) in size, casting shadows.
Comparison with images of similar resolution from NASA’s earlier Galileo spacecraft, which studied Jupiter from 1995 until 2003, suggests changes in the southern part of the “platypus” area. These changes hint at potential alterations on Europa’s surface since the Galileo images were captured.
However, the team of authors, led by Heidi N. Becker of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), acknowledges that the evidence isn’t conclusive due to differences in imaging quality and conditions.
The 2022 image also reveals nearby low-albedo deposits that may be associated with subsurface liquid water, according to the researchers. These dark stains might be linked to plumes thought to spew out water.
While not definitive, the platypus feature presents a compelling target for future missions, such as NASA’s Europa Clipper and Europe’s JUICE, to investigate and potentially confirm present-day surface activity on Europa.
JUICE launched in April 2023 and is expected to arrive at Jupiter in December 2031. Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch on October 6 of this year aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket.
Source: NASA’s Juno spacecraft recently conducted a close flyby of Jupiter’s intriguing moon Europa in 2022, uncovering potential hints of present-day surface activity.
Scientists discover the moon is shrinking, causing landslides and instability in lunar south pole
Scientists discover the moon is shrinking, causing landslides and instability in lunar south pole