Water Vapor Plumes on Europa

  • Released Monday, November 18, 2019
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An international research team led out of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center have obtained the first direct detection of water vapor on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. This video explains the findings.

Music provided by Killer Tracks: "Cross the Line" - Wally Gagel & Xandy Barry

Keck Observatory visuals provided by: Sean Goebel/W. M. Keck Observatory

What makes Jupiter’s moon Europa so alluring is the possibility that it may possess all the ingredients necessary for life. Scientists have evidence that one of these ingredients, liquid water, is present under the icy surface and may sometimes erupt into space in huge geysers. However, no one has been able to confirm the presence of water in these plumes by direct measurement of the water molecule itself. Now, an international research team led out of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland has detected the water vapor for the first time above Europa’s surface. The team measured the vapor by peering at Europa through one of the world’s biggest telescopes in Hawaii. Confirming that water vapor is present above Europa helps scientists better understand the inner workings of the moon.

Spanish Version:

Un equipo internacional de investigadores liderado por el Centro Goddard de la NASA obtuvo la primera detección directa de vapor de agua en la luna de Júpiter Europa. Este video explica el descubrimiento.

Música proporcionada por Killer Tracks: "Cross the Line" - Wally Gagel y Xandy Barry

Visuales del Observatorio Keck proporcionados por: Sean Goebel / Observatorio W.M. Keck

Credits

Please give credit for this item to: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center


Music Provided by Killer Tracks


Keck Observatory visuals by Sean Goebel

This page was originally published on Monday, November 18, 2019.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:45 PM EDT.

Papers used in this visualization

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-019-0933-6