On October 14, NASA successfully launched the Europa Clipper Mission, marking the first comprehensive exploration of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. This moon is believed to possess a vast ocean that holds more water than any other location in the known universe, surpassing even Earth. Although the mission is not explicitly designed to search for life, it operates under the principle that wherever water is found on Earth, life has typically followed.
The ocean is thought to exist beneath Europa’s icy exterior. To investigate this, the Clipper is equipped with ice-penetrating radar known as Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON). This tool will be employed to examine the ice and search for indicators of the underlying ocean, while also gathering information about the ice’s thickness and structure. Additionally, REASON aims to map the surface topography and composition of Europa and identify any water plumes that might be released from the ice.
Dustin Schroeder, an associate professor specializing in geophysics and electrical engineering and a recognized expert in radar for glacial studies, is part of the REASON science team. His journey with this mission began during his PhD research at the University of Texas, guided by Donald Blankenship, the leader of the Clipper radar team.
Reflecting on the launch, Schroeder expressed his excitement: “If you told 18-year-old me I’d be going to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch of a NASA Flagship Mission, that I was part of both the science and engineering of, I think I’d be beside myself with joy and disbelief.”
While NASA emphasizes that “Europa Clipper is not a life detection mission,” there are implications for understanding extraterrestrial life. The mission is centered on “habitability,” aiming to explore and comprehend the conditions and processes that influence Europa’s ice shell and subsurface ocean. Insights gained will enable scientists to better evaluate Europa’s habitability and prepare future missions that could search for life in the most promising areas.
Schroeder highlighted the potential discoveries the mission may yield. He expressed his enthusiasm for the possibility of detecting habitable water pockets within Europa’s ice shell, while also looking forward to the innovative radar data that REASON will generate. He believes this mission has the potential to transform knowledge in both scientific and engineering domains.
Schroeder’s work on this mission ties back to his research on Earth, focusing on “Radio Glaciology.” His team develops and utilizes ice-penetrating radar systems to study ice sheets and glaciers, seeking to understand their dynamics and contributions to sea-level changes. The same methodologies are now being applied to investigate Europa’s ice shell.
Furthermore, the advancements made for Europa Clipper are benefiting Earth studies. For instance, his team has developed a passive radar technique that employs solar radio noise to probe the Greenland Ice Sheet’s subsurface. Research has revealed refreezing and fracture processes within the shallow ice layers across Greenland. The experience gained from this mission has prompted innovative techniques that merge active radar and passive radiometer data, enhancing temperature assessments of ice sheets. This cross-pollination of ideas illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of the research, driving significant contributions to both planetary science and terrestrial studies.