Europa, the sixth of Jupiter’s moons and the fourth largest, has a subsurface ocean covered by an icy shell. Despite evidence for plumes on the icy moon, no surface features have been definitively identified as their source to date.
Furthermore, it remains unknown whether the activity originates from near-surface water reservoirs within Europa’s ice shell or if it is sourced from the underlying global ocean.
In a new study, a team of U.S. planetary researchers looked at an impact crater called Manannán and found that the fracture system located in its center is consistent with the formation of a near-surface brine reservoir; as the final water pocket at the crater’s center started to freeze, overpressurization resulted in a cryovolcanic eruption that emplaced brine onto the surface.
Continued...
Source
Furthermore, it remains unknown whether the activity originates from near-surface water reservoirs within Europa’s ice shell or if it is sourced from the underlying global ocean.
In a new study, a team of U.S. planetary researchers looked at an impact crater called Manannán and found that the fracture system located in its center is consistent with the formation of a near-surface brine reservoir; as the final water pocket at the crater’s center started to freeze, overpressurization resulted in a cryovolcanic eruption that emplaced brine onto the surface.
Continued...
Source