Europa

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Europa

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Europa yoorō´pe , in astronomy, one of the 39 known moons, or natural satellites, of Jupiter . Magnetic-field data collected by the space probe Galileo in 2002 strongly indicates a liquid-water ocean—similar to oceans found on Earth and possibly capable of supporting simple life forms—beneath Europa's frozen surface.

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Europa

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Europa Smallest of Jupiter's Galilean satellites, with a diameter of 3138km (1950mi). Mainly rock, Europa's smooth water-ice crust is criss-crossed by a network of light and dark linear markings. A form of ice tectonics might be operating on the planet, since there are very few craters.

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Europa

A Dictionary of Astronomy | 1997 | © A Dictionary of Astronomy 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Europa The fourth-largest satellite of Jupiter and the second of the four Galilean satellites from the planet; also known as Jupiter II. Europa orbits in 3.551 days at a distance of 671 100 km. Its period of axial rotation is the same as its orbital period. Its diameter is 3124 km, making it only slightly smaller than our Moon. Europa's density of 3.01 g/lcm3 indicates that it is mainly composed of silicate rock, mixed with at least 5 % water. It has a bright, icy surface of albedo 0.67, dominated by networks of dark, linear cracks, some over 1000 km long. Many of these are curved and are termed flexus; they are thought to arise from tidal stresses. Impact craters on Europa are few and far between, indicating that the surface is young and perhaps being resurfaced by icy flows from below the surface. Indirect evidence suggests the widespread presence of liquid water below the icy crust, but neither the depth nor the extent of this subsurface sea are known.

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Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 8/26/2000; 700+ words ; ...revealed that one of Jupiter's moons, Europa, was swathed in cracked ice, scientists...the evidence was only circumstantial. Europa's icy surface had fewer craters than...remoulded. Also, the scars and fissures on Europa's surface looked as though they had...
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Newspaper article from: Reforma (México D.F., México); 11/10/2003; 700+ words ; ...podemos pensar que si la America Latina es extremo de Europa, Europa, a su vez, es extremo de America Latina. ?Por que...trayendo a nuestras costas las civilizaciones del sur de Europa pero llevando de regreso al Mediterraneo las civilizaciones...
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Newspaper article from: Reforma (México D.F., México); 10/5/2002; 700+ words ; ...generar una nueva y diferente relacin con Europa. Esto me lleva a la siguiente pregunta...relacin poltica de modo que Latinoamrica y Europa puedan acercarse de formas novedosas y...nuestros valores -del Reino Unido y de Europa-, y son buenos valores". Nosotros...
Visions of Europa: Galileo tour heightens speculation about life on Jovian moon.
Magazine article from: Science News; 7/6/1996; ; 700+ words ; ...Please listen carefully. THERE IS LIFE ON EUROPA. I repeat: THERE IS LIFE ON EUROPA..." -Arthur C. Clarke, 2010: Odyssey...now say even plausible-that Jupiter's moon Europa has the two ingredients deemed necessary to sustain...

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