Jupiter's moon Europa has a crust made up of blocks, which are thought to have broken apart and 'rafted' into new positions, as shown in the image on the left. These features are geologic evidence that Europa may have had a subsurface ocean.NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
NASA-supported scientists have published a review of current knowledge regarding how ice-covered moons operate compared to Earth. The paper focuses on the interaction between ice and the liquid ocean of a celestial body, and how this interplay affects the potential habitability of icy ocean worlds.
Studying the physical processes of oceanography on icy ocean worlds can also challenge assumptions about our own oceans here on Earth. Some phenomena witnessed in Earth’s oceans, such as tides, are thought to be shared between our planet and worlds like Europa. However, some mechanisms could be more significant on Europa due to its orbit around the giant planet Jupiter.
The new paper reviews the state of knowledge of mechanisms in oceanography on Earth and how these mechanisms might operate on other bodies in the Solar System. This knowledge will inform future missions to study both the physical properties and habitability of icy ocean worlds.
The paper, “The Physical Oceanography of Ice-Covered Moons,” was published in the journal Annual Reviews.