Jupiter's Moon 'Europa' Could Support Life After Sun Enters Its Catastrophic Phase, Researchers Claim
The Sun's death is an astronomical event that has garnered intrigue over the years. This event would supposedly occur in about 4.5 billion years and end life on Earth and possibly other planets where it could exist in the solar system, as reported by Space. A team of researchers, though, has theorized that there could be a place where life could exist in that phase, and it is not Earth. Findings regarding this discovery have been published in the journal Earth and Planetary Astrophysics. During the final phase of its life, the Sun's core will expand and inflate into massive proportions. It will become a giant red star and envelop Mercury and Venus.
Also, past studies claimed that the impact will reach Earth, too. In the best-case scenario, Earth will become a lump of iron and nickel, while the worst-case scenario would cause it to vanish completely. In such scenarios, it will be difficult for life to persist in the solar system. Researchers, though, have found one location where life could exist even in such dire circumstances- Europa, Jupiter's ice-covered moon. It has long been in the sights of experts as a possible site for life, according to NASA. Researchers have speculated that Europa could have the adequate ingredients to support life. Moreover, astronomers believe that there is a salty ocean in Europa just below its icy surface. This assertion was based on the readings taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft, which detected a magnetic field on the moon that could have originated from a salty ocean.
Other life-supporting conditions in the form of chemicals like hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen could be in the moon's icy shell. Such factors have made the body the "apple of the eye" for aficionados looking for life outside Earth. This study indicates that life on Europa could be more persistent than on Earth and exist even when the Sun becomes a giant red star, according to Space. In that phase, the Sun's habitable zone could reach Jupiter's orbit and impact the planet's moon, especially Europa. The habitable zone is the area where the influx of the Sun's radiation is enough to support liquid water, a major requirement for life.
Due to the intense heat at that time, Europa will face severe water loss, if water exists on it, like other extraterrestrial bodies. The team, though, found through their investigation that the water loss will be less in the northern and southern latitudes of the face that is away from Jupiter on Europa. This slow rate of evaporation could allow water vapor to exist for 200 million years in that situation. This period could be enough for some life forms to survive. Researchers are still unsure whether this condition would be enough to support life. However, they believe that it is a possibility that should be explored further.
This finding showcases that there could be more icy moons where life could persist in the red giant star phase, according to Universe Today. Bodies in the solar system must be thoroughly investigated that will fall into the habitable zone 4.5 billion years from now and could survive the Sun's death. These bodies include exoplanets or exomoons, which experts are hopeful will be analyzed in depth through advanced telescopes. Such investigations could provide meaningful insights for the future.