The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced an important discovery: water vapor has been detected above the surface of one of Jupiter's moons.
We are talking about Europa, the sixth Jovian moon, the smallest of the four Galilean moons. This body, according to available data, consists mainly of silicate rocks, and contains an iron core in the center.
Scientists have long speculated that a huge ocean of water may be hidden under Europa’s many kilometers of ice crust. Its volume, according to a number of hypotheses, may be twice the volume of the Earth's oceans.
New data indicating the presence of water vapor on Europa supports the theory of the existence of a giant subsurface ocean. The conclusions are based on information obtained from the Keck Observatory telescopes, which are located on the peak of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii (USA).
Researchers say life requires three key ingredients to exist. These are essential chemical elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur) and sources of energy - they are found throughout the solar system. At the same time, the third component - liquid water - is extremely difficult to find somewhere outside the Earth.
Therefore, the presumed presence of a subsurface ocean on Europa may create conditions for supporting microscopic life.
Source: 3dnews.ru