Europa's Subsurface Ocean Proves Tougher to Access Than Anticipated

WHO:

Gizmodo - Lujendra Ojha, the study’s first author and an earth scientist at Rutgers University, is involved in the research.

Phys.org - Researchers from Rutgers University are leading the study on Europa.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - A new study published in Nature Astronomy challenges the assumption that shallow pools of water on Europa’s surface provide direct access to its deep oceans.

Gizmodo - The study concludes that there are too many obstacles for deep ocean water to reliably reach the surface of Europa.

Gizmodo - The findings suggest that the small pools of water observed at the surface likely come from melted sections of the icy crust rather than from the deep ocean.

WHERE:

Phys.org - The research focuses on Europa, one of Jupiter's icy moons.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The study aims to understand whether water from Europa’s deep oceans can travel through cracks in the ice to the surface without freezing.

HOW:

Gizmodo - The researchers simulated the movement and cooling of water inside the fractures of Europa’s icy shell, taking into account factors such as water velocity, crack size, turbulence, and supercooling.

Gizmodo - The study's approach contrasts with earlier models that treated water movement as orderly, highlighting the complexities involved in the process.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 05:52 UTC)

A new study published in Nature Astronomy, led by researchers from Rutgers University, challenges the long-held belief that shallow pools of water on Europa's surface provide direct access to its deep oceans. The findings indicate that there are too many obstacles preventing deep ocean water from reliably reaching the surface, suggesting that these small pools likely originate from melted sections of the icy crust instead. To arrive at these conclusions, the researchers simulated the movement and cooling of water within the fractures of Europa's icy shell, revealing complexities that earlier models overlooked.