Europa's mystery dark material could be sea salt, NASA research reveals
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 - 12:30
in Astronomy & Space
NASA laboratory experiments suggest the dark material coating some geological features of Jupiter's moon Europa is likely sea salt from a subsurface ocean, discolored by exposure to radiation. The presence of sea salt on Europa's surface suggests the ocean is interacting with its rocky seafloor -- an important consideration in determining whether the icy moon could support life.