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Europa: Tantalizing Possibilities

Europa: Tantalizing Possibilities
Europa: Tantalizing Possibilities On the surface of Jupiter's icy moon Europa, scientists have discovered frozen sulfuric acid and sulfur. This map shows, in false color, the distribution of sulfuric acid (red) and water ice (blue) obtained by Galileo's Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer. The source of the sulfur compounds may be Io or possibly an acidic or briny ocean below Europa's icy crust. Geologic processes such as tectonism and cryovolcanism redistribute sulfurous material, creating variable concentrations in Europa's disrupted terrain. JPL/NASA