# A magnetically driven equatorial jet in Europa's ocean

## TL;DR

This paper uses numerical simulations to demonstrate that Jupiter's magnetic field induces a retrograde equatorial jet in Europa's subsurface ocean, potentially affecting its surface geology.

## Contribution

It reveals a novel magnetically driven oceanic jet in Europa's ocean, linking magnetic interactions to ocean dynamics and surface feature formation.

## Key findings

- Jupiter's magnetic field generates a retrograde equatorial jet in Europa's ocean.
- The jet influences Europa's global ocean dynamics.
- Magnetic forces may contribute to surface geological features.

## Abstract

During recent decades, data from space missions have provided strong evidence of deep liquid oceans underneath a thin outer icy crust on several moons of Jupiter, particularly Europa. But these observations have also raised many unanswered questions regarding the oceanic motions generated under the ice, or the mechanisms leading to the geological features observed on Europa. By means of direct numerical simulations of Europa's interior, we show here that Jupiter's magnetic field generates a retrograde oceanic jet at the equator, which may influence the global dynamics of Europa's ocean and contribute to the formation of some of its surface features by applying a unidirectional torque on Europa's ice shell.