An image of Europa's surface, showing many features indicating the presence of a submerged ocean
Click on image for full size
Image courtesy of NASA

Does Europa Have an Ocean?

The surface of Europa shows many signs of that there may be an ocean hidden underneath:

* flooded areas

* 'freckles'

* 'rafting'

* 'mushy' craters, and

* regions of spreading.

These clues make it pretty clear that there is an ocean under the icy surface of Europa.
Last modified September 18, 2003 by Roberta Johnson.

You might also be interested in:

Traveling Nitrogen Classroom Activity Kit

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

Europa Ice Flows

This is an example of the surface of Europa. The surface may be flooded by fresh water from underground, which freezes when it touches the surface. The edges of the flow are rounded, like a puddle of water...more

Freckles on Europa?

The surface of Europa shows many signs that there may be an ocean under it's icy surface. In this picture, the dimples, shown in red, may be a sign of material falling into a water under the ice. Or they...more

Ice Rafting on Europa?

The surface of Europa shows many signs of that there may be an ocean under the icy surface. For example, this picture shows what look like icebergs on Europa. Some look like they broke off a larger block...more

Europa

Europa was first discovered by Galileo in 1610, making it one of the Galilean Satellites. It is Jupiter's 4th largest moon, 670,900 km ( miles) from Jupiter. Europa's diameter is about half the distance...more

Surface of Europa

Many exciting discoveries were made about Europa during the Galileo mission. The surface of Europa is unusual, even for an icy moon. It appears that the surface is pretty new, rather than being ancient....more

Amalthea

Amalthea was discovered by E Barnard in 1872. Of the 17 moons it is the 3rd closest to Jupiter. Amalthea is about the size of a county or small state. Amalthea is named after the goat in Greek mythology...more

Callisto

Callisto was first discovered by Galileo in 1610. It is the 2nd largest moon in the solar system, and is larger than the Earth's moon. It is about as big as the distance across the United States. Callisto...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA