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Mission to Europa
Brian Kristall, Matthew Strumpf, Josh Townsend, Oliver Williams
The Family Portrait: Galilean Satellites
Io Europa Ganymede Callisto MoonRadius (km) 1822 1561 2631 2410 1738
Mass (1021 kg) 89.3 48.0 148.2 107.6 73.5Mean density (g cm-3) 3.53 3.01 1.94 1.83 3.34
Surface Temperature (K) 118 103 113 118 253Period (days) 1.769 3.551 7.155 16.689 27.322Eccentricity 0.004 0.0101 0.0015 0.007 0.055
Semimajor axis (RJ) 5.91 9.40 15.0 26.4 5.38
NASA/JPL
Chyba & Phillips, 2007
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPLAnderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Ocean vs. Ice - Magnetometer
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Ocean vs. Ice - Magnetometer•Europan induced magnetic field
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Ocean vs. Ice - Magnetometer•Europan induced magnetic field•Varies in direction + strength to
Jupiter’s magnetic field
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Ocean vs. Ice - Magnetometer•Europan induced magnetic field•Varies in direction + strength to
Jupiter’s magnetic field•Requires near-surface, global,
electrically conducting layer
Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Interior Models of Europa: Gravity Field Indicates Complete Differentiation
NASA/JPL
•Central Core Fe/Fe-S•Anhydrous Rocky Mantle•Surface Layer ρ ≈ 1 g cm-3
~100 km thick
Ocean vs. Ice - Magnetometer•Europan induced magnetic field•Varies in direction + strength to
Jupiter’s magnetic field•Requires near-surface, global,
electrically conducting layer•Requires nearly complete
spherical shell Anderson et. al., 1998Kivelson et. al., 2000Zimmer et. al., 2000
Tidal Heating & Volcanism on Galilean Satellites
• Flexing of tidal bulge produce internal dissipation of energy • Tidal bulge height varies with
distance from Jupiter• ⇑ eccentricity = ⇑ variability
NASA/JPL
NASA/JPL
Tidal Heating & Volcanism on Galilean Satellites
• Flexing of tidal bulge produce internal dissipation of energy • Tidal bulge height varies with
distance from Jupiter• ⇑ eccentricity = ⇑ variability
NASA/JPL
NASA/JPL
• Europa ~1.6X further, ~2.5X eccentricity of Io
Modeled Heat Flow ≈ 200-300 mW m-2 (McKinnon & Shock, 2001)
Tidal Heating & Europan Seafloor Volcanism and Hydrothermal Systems?
Thin Ice Shell Thick Ice Shell
NASA/ESA
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
McCord et. al., 1999; Carlson et. al., 1999NASA/JPL
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
•Water Ice
McCord et. al., 1999; Carlson et. al., 1999NASA/JPL
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
•Water Ice•Hydrated Salts?•Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-CO3-hydrates• Na-SO4-hydrates
McCord et. al., 1999; Carlson et. al., 1999NASA/JPL
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
•Water Ice•Hydrated Salts?•Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-CO3-hydrates• Na-SO4-hydrates•Hydrated Sulfuric Acid?
McCord et. al., 1999; Carlson et. al., 1999NASA/JPL
NIMSend-members
H2SO4•nH2O
NIMS-hydrateH2SO4•8H2O
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
•Water Ice•Hydrated Salts?•Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-CO3-hydrates• Na-SO4-hydrates•Hydrated Sulfuric Acid?•Minor SO2, H2O2, CO2
McCord et. al., 1999; Carlson et. al., 1999NASA/JPL
NIMSend-members
H2SO4•nH2O
NIMS-hydrateH2SO4•8H2O
Europan Surface Composition:Galileo’s Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
•Water Ice•Hydrated Salts?•Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-Mg-SO4-hydrates• Na-CO3-hydrates• Na-SO4-hydrates•Hydrated Sulfuric Acid?•Minor SO2, H2O2, CO2
NASA/JPL-Caltech
BLUE = more saltsYELLOW-ORANGE = more ice
Europan Surface GeologyLimited impact craters indicate young surface age
Pwyll Crater ~26 km wide
Tyre Impact Scar ~140 km wide
NASA/JPL/ASU
Europan Surface GeologyRidge Plains & “Double ridges”
0.2-4 km wide, 200-350 m tall, 10-1000 km long
Ridge ~2.6 km wide ~300 m highImage 14 x 17 km
Image 20 x 20 km NASA/JPLGreeley et. al., 2000
Europan Surface GeologyRidge Plains & “Double ridges”
0.2-4 km wide, 200-350 m tall, 10-1000 km long
NASA/JPL/DLR
Europan Surface GeologyBands - multiple parallel lines little topographic expression
NASA/JPL/ASU
Astypaleae Linea fault >800 km longImage 24 x 16 km
Europan Surface GeologyChaotic Terrains - “Rafted” iceberg-like blocks
Conamara ChaosImage 70 x 30 km
NASA/JPL/ASU
Europa Technical Challenges
1. Drilling through km’s (?) of ice2. Jovian radiation3. Others
Picture: NASA JPL
Yeah, right!
Drill Baby Drill!
• Using existing technology, a small (10 inch diameter) heated-drill could drill an estimated 10 cm/day. • Even most hopeful estimates put thickness of
ice crust at 10km. • Time required to drill 10km = 100000 days.
Not very feasible!
Drilling Dillema
• Solution: Don’t drill (all the way)• Small drill arm could drill several cm’s• Pristine samples of Europan ice
Jovian Radiation: Overview• Jupiter magnetic field 20,000x Earth magnetic
field.• Radiation source from charged particles in
Jupiters mag. field.• Europa orbit annual radiation dose 3 million x
human annual dose.• Europan surface dose halved.
Jovian Radiation: Effects• Damage to electronics from electrostatic
discharge.• Parasitic currents.• Spurious noise introduced to detectors/
sensors.
Source: NASA-ESA Outer Planet Mission Study
Jovian Radiation: Mitigation Orbit
•2.9Mrad in orbit around Europa.•Protect orbiter/lander with Al-shielding and rad-hardened parts.•Minimize radiation exposure by special positioning of orbit.
Surface•Surface landing: Radiation halved.
Source: NASA-ESA Outer Planet Mission Study
Above: Shielded circuitry part of the ESA Planck satellite.
Source: www.cryoconnect.com
Other Challenges• Europan orbiter/lander must
regulate temperature.• Landing on body with no
atmosphere, can’t parachute!• Periodic communication
blackouts due to orbit. • Sterilizing orbiter/lander.
Russian Space Agency Europa Lander concept.Source: http://arc.iki.rssi.ru/conf/2009elw/presentations/
Ethical Issues
• Nuclear power source
• Contamination of Europa–Leaving equipment on surface and in ocean–Introducing non-native life from Earth
Nuclear Power
• Weight efficient• Hazard to human health–Accident in construction–Failure in launch–Nuclear waste from enrichment
• Convince the public
Why prevent contamination?
• Terrestrial life taints currently pristine Europa–"false positives"–Safe guard future scientific exploration of Europa
and its biological potential–Protect possible native Europan life–Required under UN Treaty on Principles Governing
the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies
Task Group on the Forward Contamination of Europa
• Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications (Space Studies Board)• Produced "Preventing the Forward
Contamination of Europa" in 2000• David Stahl, Northwestern University
Task Group Findings• NASA requirements for contamination
prevention efforts based on likelihood of body harboring life• Current requirements are satisfactory–Isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, dry heating,
clean room assembly, bioload tests, final sterilization by Jupiter's radiation
• Recommended studies to define issues–Clean room practices, bioload assay methods,
radiation resistant microbes, autotroph detection
Task Group Disagreement
• Majority: bioload reduced so that probability of contaminating viable terrestrial organism is 10e-4
• Minority: less stringent requirements (Viking-level cleaning)–No reason for enhanced policies–Radiation will kill, life will not survive and multiply
in Europan ocean
Mission Objectives
• Characteristics of ice and salts
• Characteristics of sub-surface ocean
• Internal structure
• Life?
Ice
• Chemical Composition• Surface water• Chemistry –Is life even possible?
• Physical characteristics–Thickness–Mid-ocean ridge?
Ocean
• Chemical Composition• Depth• Relation to the interior• Ice-ocean exchange and
relationship
Formation of surface processes
• Smokers• Hydrothermal vents• Physical Characteristics• Try to find a site for
future exploration–Possible thin spot for
drilling
Radiation, Gravity, Magnetism•Effects of extreme radiation due to Jupiter•Tidal bulges from gravitational pull•Presence of a magnetic field
Life
• Is life even possible on Europa?–Are there hydrothermal vents?–If not, is life likely to be found?
• Should we continue the search in the ocean?–Should we find a thin section of ice and drill?
• Would we even recognize if we found life?
Equipment
• Orbiter–Map Europa’s surface–Characterize ocean–Relay information
Orbiter instruments:• Magnetometer• Laser altimeter• Radio Science• Ice Penetrating Radar•VIS-IR Imaging Spectrometer•UV Spectrometer•Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer•Thermal Instrument• Narrow Angle Camera• Wide Angle Camera and Medium Angle Camera•Magnetometer • Particle and Plasma Instrument
Nasa/JPL
Equipment
• Surface lander–Sample the ice (drill a few centimeters)–Deploy seismometer–Ocean depth–Ice thickness
Budget & Time LineJEO Phase A-F lifecycle NASA: $4 billionJGO Phase A-F lifecycle ESA: 650€ million
The Family Portrait: Galilean Satellites