Overview
- The Planetary Science Journal study by Austin Green and Catherine Cooper models dense, salt-rich surface ice detaching and sinking through Europa's ice shell, potentially delivering radiation-processed nutrients to the ocean.
- Simulations indicate the sinking can reach the base of the shell across a broad range of salt contents if the source ice is modestly weakened, and the transport can occur on relatively short geological timescales.
- A separate Nature Communications study led by Paul Byrne concludes Europa’s rocky seafloor is likely too strong for active faulting, volcanism, or classic high-temperature hydrothermal vents today.
- WHOI-affiliated researchers highlight that lower-temperature, diffuse hydrothermal circulation could still supply nutrients and chemical energy over long periods despite a quiet seafloor.
- NASA’s Europa Clipper, launched in 2024, is set to perform dozens of close flybys from 2031 to assess ice-shell structure and composition and to test predictions about surface-to-ocean exchange.