Geological evidence for solid-state convection in Europa's ice shell

R. T. Pappalardo (), J. W. Head, R. Greeley, R. J. Sullivan, C. Pilcher, G. Schubert, W. B. Moore, M. H. Carr, J. M. Moore, M. J. S. Belton and D. L. Goldsby
Additional contact information
R. T. Pappalardo: Brown University
J. W. Head: Brown University
R. Greeley: Arizona State University
R. J. Sullivan: Arizona State University
C. Pilcher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters
G. Schubert: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California Los Angeles
W. B. Moore: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California Los Angeles
M. H. Carr: United States Geological Survey
J. M. Moore: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center
M. J. S. Belton: National Optical Astronomy Observatories
D. L. Goldsby: Brown University

Nature, 1998, vol. 391, issue 6665, 365-368

Abstract: Abstract The ice-rich surface of the jovian satellite Europa is sparsely cratered, suggesting that this moon might be geologically active today1. Moreover, models of the satellite's interior indicate that tidal interactions with Jupiter might produce enough heat to maintain a subsurface liquid water layer2,3,4,5. But the mechanisms of interior heat loss and resurfacing are currently unclear, as is the question of whether Europa has (or had at one time) a liquid water ocean6,7. Here we report on the morphology and geological interpretation of distinct surface features—pits, domes and spots—discovered in high-resolution images of Europa obtained by the Galileo spacecraft. The features are interpreted as the surface manifestation of diapirs, relatively warm localized ice masses that have risen buoyantly through the subsurface. We find that the formation of the features can be explained by thermally induced solid-state convection within an ice shell, possibly overlying a liquid water layer. Our results are consistent with the possibility that Europa has a liquid water ocean beneath a surface layer of ice, but further tests and observations are needed to demonstrate this conclusively.

Date: 1998
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/34862 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nature:v:391:y:1998:i:6665:d:10.1038_34862

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/

DOI: 10.1038/34862

Access Statistics for this article

Nature is currently edited by Magdalena Skipper

More articles in Nature from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().