Magnetically-driven oceanic motions in Jupiter’s moons

Conférence expérimentale

Live videoconference from ENS-PSL on February 1st, 2021, from 6:30 P.m. to 8 p.m.

Due to health regulations, this experimental lecture will be held remotely.

With Christophe Gissinger - Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris.

Numerical and theoretical works predict the existence of a strong equatorial jet of salt water in the subsurface ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa. This electromagnetic mechanism may contribute to the formation of the many cracks observed on its surface.

Unlike the Earth, Jupiter has many natural satellites, including Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and so on. Europa is of particular interest to researchers, because it is strongly believed that the moon shelters a gigantic global ocean below the thin outer icy crust visible at the surface. Indeed, the Galileo space mission measured the magnetic field of the giant planet in the late 90s and demonstrated the presence of a conducting material on Europa, most likely liquid salt water. But how is it possible that liquid water remains stable on a moon without an atmosphere ? What is the source of energy keeping the water in a liquid state under the ice crust ?

While tidal forces due to the gravitational influence of Jupiter and the thermal convection in the ocean are two well accepted sources of energy, researchers at the ENS1 and Lerma2 Physics Laboratories have demonstrated the existence of another important source by numerically modeling the internal dynamics of the ocean. The numerical model might explain two observations on the satellite that are still poorly understood : the existence of vapor plumes at the satellite poles, and the numerous fractures of the ice crust at the equator.

With the support of Fonds ESPCI Paris.

1 February 2021
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Culture - Conférence
#confexp
Université PSL, ESPCI Paris - PSL, École normale supérieure - PSL,

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The lecture will also be live broadcast on the ESPCI-PSL's YouTube channel.

2021-02-01 19:30 2021-02-01 21:00 Europe/Paris Magnetically-driven oceanic motions in Jupiter’s moons