Europa, one of Jupiter’s 95 moons, generates 1,000 tons of oxygen every 24 hours, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said Monday. Recent findings from NASA’s Juno mission, however, cast some doubt on previous estimates of Europa’s oxygen production rate. A study published in Nature Astronomy on March 4th, 2024, based on data from Juno’s Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument, suggests a significantly lower production rate than previously thought.
PREVIOUS ESTIMATES VS. NEW DATA
Prior studies estimated Europa’s oxygen production to be anywhere between a few pounds to over 2,000 pounds per second. The new data from Juno’s JADE instrument revises this estimate to a much lower figure: around 26 pounds, or 12 kilograms, of oxygen every second.
This translates to roughly 1,000 tons of oxygen produced per day – enough to sustain one million people’s breathing needs for 24 hours. While still a significant amount, it falls far short of earlier projections.
HOW EUROPA PRODUCES OXYGEN
Europa’s oxygen production is a result of its constant bombardment by charged particles from Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field. These particles slam into Europa’s icy surface, splitting water molecules (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen.
Some of the newly produced oxygen may find its way down into the moon’s subsurface ocean, potentially serving as a source of metabolic energy for any life forms residing there.
EUROPA’S HABITABILITY: REASSESSMENT NEEDED?
The downward revision of Europa’s oxygen production doesn’t necessarily negate its potential habitability. However, it does necessitate a reevaluation of the factors contributing to the moon’s potential for supporting life.
Scientists will need to consider the implications of this lower oxygen production rate alongside other aspects of Europa’s environment, such as the composition of its subsurface ocean and the presence of other potential energy sources.
FUTURE EXPLORATION: EUROPA CLIPPER AND BEYOND
The upcoming Europa Clipper mission, scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in 2030, will carry a sophisticated suite of scientific instruments specifically designed to investigate Europa’s habitability. This mission will play a crucial role in furthering our understanding of this intriguing moon.
In the meantime, Juno’s exploration continues. The next target on its itinerary is Io, Jupiter’s volcanic moon, with a flyby scheduled for April 9, 2024. The data gathered from Io will add to the existing knowledge from previous missions and Juno’s own close flybys in December 2023 and February 2024.
The exploration of Jupiter’s moons, particularly Europa and Io, promises to unveil more about these captivating celestial bodies and their potential for harbouring life beyond Earth. The Juno mission’s findings, while revising our understanding of Europa’s oxygen production, have opened doors for further investigation and fuelled our scientific curiosity about these intriguing Jovian moons.
