Extensive Radar Study Maps Europa's Icy Surface
Scientists have conducted the most comprehensive radar study of Europa, Jupiter's ocean moon, utilizing NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar and the U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Telescope. The research, spanning from 2011 to 2024, involved transmitting 3.5-centimeter radio waves to the moon. This extensive observation confirmed that Europa's icy surface exhibits a uniquely strong and complex scattering of radio energy, a characteristic not observed on rocky celestial bodies.
A team of scientists has completed the most extensive radar study to date of Europa, Jupiter's ocean-bearing moon. The research employed advanced instruments, specifically NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar and the U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Telescope (NSF GBT).
The study involved repeatedly transmitting 3.5-centimeter (1.4-inch) radio waves towards Europa and measuring the reflected signals. This process was carried out over a 13-year period, from 2011 to 2024.
Through this extensive observation, the team was able to determine how Europa reflects radar signals. Their findings confirmed that the moon's icy surface scatters radio energy in a manner described as unusually strong and complex, a phenomenon not typically seen on rocky planetary bodies.
According to Phys.org, this detailed radar mapping provides new insights into the subsurface characteristics and composition of Europa.
