Europa is a moon of Jupiter. Scientists think it might have an underground ocean, where life could exist. We would love to get a sample of the ocean, but that is very complicated. The thick ice layer on top of the ocean prevents us from accessing it directly. Interestingly, there is evidence for eruptions of water on Europa known as 'plumes'. If a future space mission like the European Space Agency’s JUpiter ICy moon Explorer (JUICE) or NASA’s Europa Clipper flies through a plume, we could sample the ocean. Previous studies have demonstrated that it would be possible for…
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A Khalifa University research group has investigated the tenuous plasma environments surrounding Mars and Saturn to better understand plasmas in the Earthbound laboratory and beyond our solar system. Plasma is an interesting research challenge to scientists across disciplines. So much of the universe is made of plasma — it comprises over 99 percent of the visible universe in environments as diverse as stars or distant nebulas, and is manifested in the form of auroras, lightning, and even in such technological applications as neon signs. Plasma is often called the “fourth state of matter” after solid, liquid, and gas.…
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