Acidification of Europa's Subsurface Ocean as a Consequence of Oxidant Delivery
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-2012
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2011.0666
Abstract
Oxidants are formed at the surface of Europa and may be delivered to the subsurface ocean, possibly in great quantities. Whether these substances would be available for biological metabolism is uncertain, because they may react with sulfides and other compounds to generate sulfuric and other acids. If this process has been active on Europa for much of its age, then not only would it rob the ocean of life-supporting oxidants but the subsurface ocean could have a pH of ∼2.6, which is so acidic as to present an environmental challenge for life, unless organisms consume or sequester the oxidants fast enough to ameliorate the acidification.
Rights Information
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Astrobiology, v. 12, issue 2, p. 151-159
Scholar Commons Citation
Pasek, Matthew A. and Greenberg, Richard, "Acidification of Europa's Subsurface Ocean as a Consequence of Oxidant Delivery" (2012). School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications. 618.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/618
Comments
Astrobiology