Linking Europa's plume activity to tides, tectonics, and liquid water

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether Europa's plume activity is driven by tidal forces by analyzing eruption timing in relation to its tidal cycle, comparing it with Enceladus to understand underlying geological processes.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of Europa's plume activity timing relative to its tidal cycle, assessing the tidal control hypothesis and comparing it with Enceladus.

Findings

Plume activity shows variability with Europa's tidal cycle

Additional observations challenge the tidal control hypothesis

Europa's plume activity differs from Enceladus in timing and frequency

Abstract

Much of the geologic activity preserved on Europa's icy surface has been attributed to tidal deformation, mainly due to Europa's eccentric orbit. Although the surface is geologically young (30 - 80 Myr), there is little information as to whether tidally-driven surface processes are ongoing. However, a recent detection of water vapor near Europa's south pole suggests that it may be geologically active. Initial observations indicated that Europa's plume eruptions are time-variable and may be linked to its tidal cycle. Saturn's moon, Enceladus, which shares many similar traits with Europa, displays tidally-modulated plume eruptions, which bolstered this interpretation. However, additional observations of Europa at the same time in its orbit failed to yield a plume detection, casting doubt on the tidal control hypothesis. The purpose of this study is to analyze the timing of plume eruptions within the context of Europa's tidal cycle to determine whether such a link exists and examine the inferred similarities and differences between plume activity on Europa and Enceladus.