PSI Senior Scientists Julie Rathbun and Lynnae Quick attended the 4th Europa Project Science Group meeting at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The meeting included project updates and discussion of key science questions and issues.
Quick presented an invited plenary talk titled “Cryovolcanism and Cryomagmatism as Exchange Processes on Europa.” One of the main purposes of the Europa mission will be to determine if Europa is habitable. Scientists are looking for habitability conditions: liquid water, an energy source, and complex molecules. Cryovolcanism involves 2 of the 3: definitely energy, and possibly liquid water.
A number of other PSI scientists are working on the mission. Above, a group photo of the scientists attending the meeting. Below, Lynnae Quick and Julie Rathbun.
