Space Sciences

Dynamic Europa ocean shows transient Taylor columns and convection driven by ice melting and salinity

Y. Ashkenazy and E. Tziperman

Explore the depths of Europa's ocean, where the conditions could harbor extraterrestrial life! This remarkable study conducted by Yosef Ashkenazy and Eli Tziperman reveals intricate dynamics like transient convection and zonal jets, all under the thick icy shell of Jupiter's moon—insights that could guide future missions to this enigmatic world.

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Index

Abstract

The deep ocean of Europa, Jupiter's moon, covered by a thick icy shell, is a probable place to find extraterrestrial life. This study adds elements, including consistent top and bottom heating boundary conditions and the effects of icy shell melting and freezing on ocean salinity, to previous models. The ocean exhibits strong transient convection, eddies, and zonal jets, organizing into Taylor columns parallel to Europa's rotation axis. Meridional oceanic heat transport results in nearly uniform ice thickness, potentially observable in future missions.

Publisher

Nature Communications

Published On

Nov 04, 2021

Authors

Yosef Ashkenazy, Eli Tziperman

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