Pwyll: Icy Crater of Europa
Explanation:
The impact crater Pwyll (a name from
Celtic
Mythology) is thought to
represent one of the youngest features on the surface of
Jupiter's moon Europa.
A combination of color and high resolution black and white data from
NASA's
Galileo spacecraft was used to produce
this view looking down
on the crater with the sun illuminating the scene from the right.
Pwyll's visible dark central region is about 26 kilometers in diameter,
while brilliant white rays of debris blasted from
the impact site extend
outward for hundreds of kilometers.
The white debris or ejecta clearly overlays everything else on the
surface - indicating that this
impact crater is younger than all
surrounding features.
The bright white color suggests a composition of water ice particles.
Galileo's instruments have uncovered substantial evidence
that
water
in liquid form exists below Europa's
icy surface.
If Europa
has a subsurface ocean, could it harbor life?
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
