13-Year Europa Radar Study Confirms CBOE, Finds Unusually High Ice Albedo
Updated
Updated · Universe Today · Jun 29
13-Year Europa Radar Study Confirms CBOE, Finds Unusually High Ice Albedo
1 articles · Updated · Universe Today · Jun 29
Summary
A 13-year ground-based radar campaign from 2011 to 2024 found Europa’s icy surface has unusually high radar brightness, reinforcing earlier evidence that the moon reflects more like a mirror than most planetary bodies.
Goldstone Solar System Radar and the Green Bank Telescope were used to close a decades-old gap in Europa radar data, with the results also confirming the coherent backscatter opposition effect, or CBOE.
That effect is associated with strong radar returns through pure water ice, adding support to the view that Europa — along with Ganymede and Callisto — may harbor subsurface liquid-water oceans.
The study also highlights ground radar as a useful tool ahead of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which launched in 2024, is due to reach Europa in April 2030 and plans nearly 50 flybys starting in 2031.
As NASA's Clipper speeds toward Europa, what crucial secrets has this new radar study just unlocked for its mission?
Europa's pure ice suggests a vast ocean, but could a silent seafloor mean this world is ultimately lifeless?
Europa’s Hidden Ocean Unveiled: Key Results from the 13-Year Ground-Based Radar Investigation (2011–2024)
Overview
A landmark 13-year radar study of Europa, presented in June 2026, has greatly advanced our understanding of this icy moon. Using sophisticated bistatic radar methods, scientists were able to probe beneath Europa’s thick ice shell. Radio waves, which can penetrate the ice, carried vital information about the moon’s internal structure and purity. This extensive investigation revealed unprecedented details about Europa’s subsurface environment, leading to several pivotal discoveries. These findings are transforming our view of Europa’s ice shell and provide a strong foundation for future exploration and the search for life beyond Earth.