The Search for Life on Europa Just Got Easier

In a new paper published in astronomy, Tom Nordheim of Pasadena Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his colleagues put Jupiter's satellite Europaback at the forefront of finding extraterrestrial life.

They discovered that potential biomarkers such as amino acids may stay only a few centimeters below European high latitudes, mid latitudes, moon ice. Even in the equator, the danger of radioactivity is even more cruel and detectable amino acid levels can still be recovered at a depth of 10 cm - assuming that the ice shell does not exceed 10 million years

Of course, on our own Earth, water ice helps protect biomolecules. The problem in Europe is the massive radiation this moon receives from Jupiter. Since the spacecraft must receive radiation enhancement, the landing mission will be challenging. Human mission is completely impossible

But the amazing results of Nordheim and his colleagues will open up new possibilities for exploration if verified by other research groups. When the spacecraft landed in the correct position in Europe it required only a heat source to melt the ice and a predator to collect biologically interesting samples. Because you do not need to drill deeply, you can save significant technical development and cost.

Ideally, Europa Lander looks for biomolecules in the area of ​​30 to 90 million lunar lunar (still younger than other cold satellites). The main landing site is a chaotic surface including a chaotic area thought to be much younger than the average crust. A particularly good goal is the area where water plumes were discovered from the moon in the past. Here, we can expect water from deeper Europanoceanis to approach the lunar surface.

The results of the investigation by Nordheim and his colleagues should re-emerge Europe as the top priority of the outer sun's astronomical task beyond the moon of the moon month and recently gained great interest in the scientific community It was. Especially when the hydrothermal venting system like the "black chimney" on the earth is under the moon, Europe has not only the life of microorganisms but also multiple cells and complex life in our solar system It is the only unit. Perhaps we can find some European life, very close to the ice of a certain month, or it is a trace of it.

Guessing about extraterrestrials will increase European awareness and lead to stable lobbying for future missions. The purpose of these tasks is to examine the chemical composition of Europe and to find extraterrestrial life forms in its virtual underground sea. The mission of robots to Europe needs to withstand itself and the high radiation environment around Jupiter. Europe receives about 5.40 Sv of radiation per day. In 2011, the 10th consecutive investigation of the planetary science of the United States recommended the mission of Europe. In response, NASA ordered the European Lander concept study in 2011, as well as the concept of Europa Clipper and Europa orbiter. While the Orbiter Element option focuses on "marine" science, the multi-flight element (Clipper) focuses on chemistry and energy science

Scientists will start reviewing Europe with the European Clipper's mission. The Europa Clippers are planning to launch in the 1920s and will arrive in Jupiter in a few years and try to see if a cold moon can sustain sustainable conditions in life. Radiation resistant spacecraft, starting with long periodic orbits around Jupiter, will make 45 Europe flights ranging in height from 1,675 miles to 16 miles (2,700 kilometers to 25 kilometers). Clipper's equipment includes a camera and a spectrometer to generate a high resolution image of the surface of Europe and to determine its composition. The ice-permeable radar determines the thickness of the moon's ice shell and looks for an underground lake similar to that under Antarctica. The mission will also carry a magnetometer to measure the strength and direction of the lunar magnetic field, which will allow scientists to determine the depth and salinity of their ocean.