ALMA Spectroscopy of Europa: A Search for Active Plumes
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| _version_ | 1866909163335974912 |
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| author | Cordiner, M. A. Thelen, A. E. Lai, I. -L. Tseng, W. -L. Nixon, C. A. Kuan, Y. -J. Villanueva, G. L. Paganini, L. Charnley, S. B. Retherford, K. D. |
| author_facet | Cordiner, M. A. Thelen, A. E. Lai, I. -L. Tseng, W. -L. Nixon, C. A. Kuan, Y. -J. Villanueva, G. L. Paganini, L. Charnley, S. B. Retherford, K. D. |
| contents | The subsurface ocean of Europa is a high priority target in the search for extraterrestrial life, but direct investigations are hindered by the presence of a thick, exterior ice shell. Here we present spectral line and continuum maps of Europa obtained over four epochs in May-June 2021 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), to search for molecular emission from atmospheric plumes, with the aim of investigating subsurface processes. Using a 3D physical model, we obtained upper limits for the plume abundances of HCN, H$_2$CO, SO$_2$ and CH$_3$OH. If active plume(s) were present, they contained very low abundances of these molecules. Assuming a total gas production rate of $10^{29}$ s$^{-1}$, our H$_2$CO abundance upper limit of $<0.016$\% is more than an order of magnitude less than measured in the Enceladus plume by the Cassini spacecraft, implying a possible chemical difference between the plume source materials for these two icy moons. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_05525 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | ALMA Spectroscopy of Europa: A Search for Active Plumes Cordiner, M. A. Thelen, A. E. Lai, I. -L. Tseng, W. -L. Nixon, C. A. Kuan, Y. -J. Villanueva, G. L. Paganini, L. Charnley, S. B. Retherford, K. D. Earth and Planetary Astrophysics The subsurface ocean of Europa is a high priority target in the search for extraterrestrial life, but direct investigations are hindered by the presence of a thick, exterior ice shell. Here we present spectral line and continuum maps of Europa obtained over four epochs in May-June 2021 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), to search for molecular emission from atmospheric plumes, with the aim of investigating subsurface processes. Using a 3D physical model, we obtained upper limits for the plume abundances of HCN, H$_2$CO, SO$_2$ and CH$_3$OH. If active plume(s) were present, they contained very low abundances of these molecules. Assuming a total gas production rate of $10^{29}$ s$^{-1}$, our H$_2$CO abundance upper limit of $<0.016$\% is more than an order of magnitude less than measured in the Enceladus plume by the Cassini spacecraft, implying a possible chemical difference between the plume source materials for these two icy moons. |
| title | ALMA Spectroscopy of Europa: A Search for Active Plumes |
| topic | Earth and Planetary Astrophysics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.05525 |