James Webb Space Telescope finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter moon Europa

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope can now peer far into the infinite world of space. Now JWST has gathered information about the icy moon of Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. On Jupiter's moon Europa, scientists have found clues to the release of carbon dioxide from the salty ocean.

Space scientists have known for a long time that an ocean of water is hidden beneath the icy layer of Jupiter's Europa satellite. But it was not known whether this water was suitable for life to flourish or not. But now the presence of carbon in it creates the possibility of life flourishing here. According to ESA, carbon dioxide gas has been found coming out of water from under the ice on Jupiter's moon.

Study leader Geronimo Villanueva, a scientist at NASA's Gondar Space Flight Center, said, 'The more chemical diversity there is in life on Earth, the more it flourishes. We are life made of carbon. By understanding the chemical characteristics of Europa, we will be able to know whether it could be the right place for life to flourish or not. This shows that before we can peek under the ice there, and the whole situation becomes clear, we can know about the basic chemical composition of the ocean there.

Here another interesting thing has been told by the agency that the team has done this observation in the presence of infrared in which the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument of James Webb Space Telescope was used. It said that the carbon present there was not delivered to Europa by any meteorite or any other astronomical event. Rather it has come from inside the satellite itself. It is coming from below the surface of the ice.

JWST discovered that carbon dioxide on Europa is at its most recent, at its most abundant. It is called Tara Regio. The breaking of ice here shows that there is an exchange of material between Europa's icy surface and the ocean beneath it. Chemical processes are taking place here. Scientists are now involved in its detailed study so that the possibilities of life on Europa can be explored.