Brine Volume Fraction as a Habitability Metric for Europa's Ice Shell
نویسندگان
چکیده
Brine systems in Europa’s ice shell have been hypothesized as potential habitats that could be more accessible than the sub-ice ocean. We model distribution of sub-millimeter-scale brine pockets shell. Through examination three habitability metrics (water activity, ionic strength, salinity), we determine are likely not geochemically prohibitive to life know it for chloride and sulfate-dominated ocean compositions considered here. volume fraction is introduced a novel metric serve proxy nutrient transport recycling—because its role governing permeability—and used define regions where nutrient-open, nutrient-closed, relict stable. Whereas nutrient-closed exist wherever stable, nutrient-open confined meter-scale near ice-ocean interface freezing occurring. This classification scheme can help guide future life-detection missions worlds.
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ژورنال
عنوان ژورنال: Geophysical Research Letters
سال: 2022
ISSN: ['1944-8007', '0094-8276']
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022gl100586