New Analysis Questions Water Vapor Eruptions on Jupiter's Moon Europa
Scientists thought Jupiter's moon Europa was ejecting water. Now they're not so sure

Image: Space
Astronomers have re-evaluated 14 years of Hubble Space Telescope data on Jupiter's moon Europa, casting doubt on the existence of water vapor plumes previously thought to erupt from its icy surface. The findings suggest that earlier evidence may have been misinterpreted, with confidence in the plumes' existence dropping from 99.9% to below 90%. The upcoming NASA Europa Clipper mission in 2030 may provide further clarity.
- 01The study reanalyzed data collected from 2012 to 2014, focusing on Lyman-alpha emissions from hydrogen atoms.
- 02Kurt Retherford, part of the original team proposing the plumes, now questions the strength of the evidence.
- 03The reanalysis revealed that the initial confidence level in the plumes' existence was overly optimistic.
- 04Similar water plumes have been confirmed on Saturn's moon Enceladus, raising questions about Europa's potential for habitability.
- 05NASA's Europa Clipper mission, set to launch in 2030, aims to investigate Europa's subsurface ocean and its potential for life.
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Recent analysis of 14 years of data from the Hubble Space Telescope has led astronomers to reconsider the existence of water vapor plumes on Europa, Jupiter's icy moon. Initially, a team led by Kurt Retherford of the Southwest Research Institute had suggested these plumes were evidence of a subsurface ocean, essential for the potential habitability of Europa. However, upon re-evaluation, the team found that the evidence supporting these plumes was not as robust as previously thought. Their confidence in the existence of the plumes has dropped from 99.9% to below 90% due to uncertainties in data interpretation. The researchers focused on Lyman-alpha emissions, which are emitted by hydrogen atoms, and noted that slight misplacements in data could lead to erroneous conclusions. Despite the doubts, the existence of water vapor cannot be entirely ruled out, especially since similar plumes have been detected on Saturn's moon Enceladus. The upcoming NASA Europa Clipper mission, scheduled for 2030, is expected to provide definitive insights into Europa's subsurface ocean and its potential for life, which remains a significant area of interest for scientists.
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