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New Frontiers in Solar System Exploration (2003) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

Europa and Large Satellites
Pages 6-7

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 6...
... Europa holds the most promise for understanding the biological potential of icy satellites. There is convincing evidence that the incessant pushing and pulling on Europa by fupiter's gravitational field generates sufficient tidal heating to sustain a global ocean of liquid water just a few tens of kilometers beneath the satellite's icy surface.
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From page 7...
... These concepts are key to understanding the origin and evolution of waterrich environments in icy satellites. The Europa Geophysical Explorer mission proposed by the SSE Survey is an extension of orbiter concepts studied by NASA in the l990s, and would pave the way for more ambitious Europa missions in the future, such as a lander or even a submarine to explore the ocean (if it exists)
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Key Terms

  • geophysical explorer
  • icy satellites
  • tidal heating
  • liquid water
  • europa mission

  • organic chemistry
  • icy surface
  • explorer mission
  • perfect examples
  • natural laboratory

  • warmer rocky
  • incessant pushing
  • understanding icy
  • gravitational field
  • surface activity

  • kilometers beneath
  • science questions
  • questions addressed
  • national space
  • rocky mantle

  • sse survey
  • waterrich environments
  • extreme planetary
  • geological evidence
  • global ocean

  • themes addressed
  • europan environment
  • ambitious europa
  • highly successful
  • traditional focus


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