Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News and Views
  • Published:

EUROPA

Biosignature hide and seek

A new model predicts locations on the surface of radiation-blasted Europa, the ocean moon of Jupiter, where biochemical signatures of life emergent from the subsurface ocean might survive long enough for detection on the moon’s changing surface.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Pappalardo, R. T. et al. Astrobiology 13, 740–773 (2013).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Nordheim, T. A., Hand, K. P. & Paranicas, C. Nat. Astron. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-018-0499-8 (2018).

  3. Paranicas, C. et al. in Europa (Space Science Series) (eds Pappalardo, R. T., McKinnon, W. B. & Khurana, K. K.) 529–544 (University of Arizona Press, AZ, Tucson, 2009).

  4. Cox, M. M. & Battista, J. R. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 3, 882–892 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wharton, D. R. A. & Wharton, M. L. Radiat. Res. 11, 600–615 (1959).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chyba, C. F. Nature 403, 381–382 (2000).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cooper, J. F. et al. Icarus 149, 133–159 (2001).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Moore, J. M. et al. in Europa (Space Science Series) (eds Pappalardo, R. T., McKinnon, W. B. & Khurana, K. K.) 329–349 (University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ, 2009).

  9. Europa Study Team Europa Study 2012 Report JPL D-71990 (NASA, 2012).

  10. Roth, L. et al. Science 343, 171–174 (2014).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sparks, W. B. et al. Astrophys. J. 829, 121 (2016).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John F. Cooper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cooper, J.F. Biosignature hide and seek. Nat Astron 2, 617–618 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-018-0542-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-018-0542-9

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing