Europa Re-analysis Erases 2013 Water Plume Evidence After 2-Pixel Hubble Error
Updated
Updated · Hackaday · Jun 11
Europa Re-analysis Erases 2013 Water Plume Evidence After 2-Pixel Hubble Error
1 articles · Updated · Hackaday · Jun 11
Summary
A new re-analysis found Europa’s reported water-vapor plumes were not supported, overturning a 2013 claim based on faint ultraviolet signals from the moon’s southern hemisphere.
The team traced the result to a statistical fluke and a key positioning mistake: Europa’s location on Hubble’s 1,000-by-1,000-pixel detector was off by a couple of pixels.
Researchers also said a thin hydrogen exosphere, identified since 2013, can scatter solar UV light and create a glow that mimics emissions from Europa’s surface.
The reversal removes one line of evidence for active plumes, but Europa remains a prime target because scientists still think a vast liquid-water ocean lies beneath its ice.