OCEAN
Congratulations, you have been chosen as the Ocean officer for this important mission. Your job is to analyze features of Europa’s surface in order to learn more about Jupiter’s icy moon and to help the Remote team determine the best impact location for the probe. You will also analyze data collected by the probe from Europa’s atmosphere and water ocean. You will be communicating with the Remote (REM) team and the Astrobiology (ASTROBIO) team to accomplish your objectives.
Your objectives for this mission are:
- Research the ice shell and possible probe impact sites on Europa, and
- Determine if it’s possible for Europa to support life
You will need to follow every step in these TASK CARDS, without skipping a single step. If you find at any point that the readings from the spacecraft are not safe, you must inform the crew! Do not begin the first step until told to do so by the Mission Commander.
If you need assistance at any point during the mission, send a message to “Help Desk” in the call software CHAT. They are there to answer your questions and provide help for the duration of the mission.
ICE SHELL RESEARCH
Follow these directions for researching Europa’s ice shell:
- Read the notes from the previous OCEAN officer by clicking on the box labeled NOTES.
NOTES
You will be tasked with determining a recommended probe impact site based on the thickness of Europa’s ice shell at 3 different locations. Consider how the ice thickness at each location will impact the amount of force required for the probe to dive deep into Europa’s water ocean.
Scientists estimate that Europa’s outer icy shell is 10 to 15 miles (15 to 25 kilometers) thick and sits atop a salty ocean of liquid water. Unlike Earth’s rocky crust, Europa’s surface is almost entirely rock-hard water ice with a small fraction of briny material and perhaps organics mixed in. If Europa’s exterior is being deformed by forces acting on its ice shell (what scientists refer to as being “tectonically active”), then ocean material may be able to reach the moon’s surface and vice versa. Scientists have measured Europa’s temperature to never reach higher than -160℃ at the surface.
2. Complete the ICE SHELL RESEARCH DATA LOG by answering the questions. Click “Submit” when you are finished.
ICE SHELL RESEARCH DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
ICE SHELL
Follow these directions for analyzing Europa’s ice shell:
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is OCEAN. Please send the ice thickness for the possible probe impact sites as soon as possible.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
5. Read the information on water and its phases by clicking on the box labeled WATER.
WATER
Water on Earth normally freezes at 0℃ and boils at 100℃. Therefore, liquid water on Earth exists at a temperature between 0℃ and 100℃. However, characteristics of the environment and of the water can change these temperatures. Pressure in the environment and the salt content of the water can both change the temperature range of liquid water. For example, ocean water on Earth freezes at about -2℃. Europa is believed to have a very salty liquid ocean below the icy shell. Based on the information known about Europa, the ocean is likely to be in the range of -4℃ to 0℃.
ICE SHELL DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
Notepad
PROBE IMPACT SITE
Follow these directions for making a recommendation for the PROBE IMPACT SITE:
1. Based on the ice thicknesses and your research, determine which location will aid in learning more about Europa. Record your answer in the PROBE IMPACT SITE DATA LOG. Refer to the ICE SHELL DATA LOG for the data sent by the Mission Commander. Click “Submit” after determining the recommended impact site.
PROBE IMPACT SITE DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
Notepad
PROBE IMPACT SITE
Follow these directions for making a recommendation for the PROBE IMPACT SITE:
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “REM” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is OCEAN. According to the data collected by the Mission Commander, the recommended probe impact location is __________ because ____________________.
4. Make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the REM officer can read the message.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “Flight Director” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is OCEAN. I have completed my primary objective.
4. Make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the Flight Director can read the message.
5. Once this is completed, continue in your task cards to the BIOSENSOR section.
BIOSENSOR
Follow these directions for researching a BIOSENSOR and searching for signs of life in Europa’s ocean:
- Read the notes from the previous OCEAN officer by clicking on the box labeled BIOSENSOR.
BIOSENSOR
Scientists always thought that life required the Sun’s energy to thrive. Now, we know that life, called Extremophiles, can thrive without the Sun’s energy through the process of chemosynthesis.
Scientists can use biosensors to detect chemical substances indicating an extremophile may exist. For our purposes of trying to discover signs of life in Europa’s water ocean, a biosensor could be attached to a probe to detect chemical substances that could indicate possible microbial life.
One such chemical substance is methane. While there are many sources of methane, it is a bi-product of digestion in living things. Therefore, presence of methane could be a biosignature, or a sign that there could be active life on Europa.
Chemosynthesis is similar to photosynthesis but instead of using energy from the Sun, chemosynthesis requires energy from the breakdown of chemical compounds. Through the process of chemosynthesis sulfur is produced as a byproduct.
The presence of sulfur can also be a biosignature.
2. Complete the BIOSENSORS DATA LOG below.
BIOSENSORS DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
BIOSENSORS
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is OCEAN. A biosensor that can detect _____ and _____ should be added to the probe in order to test for signs of life in Europa’s water ocean.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
5. Once this is completed, continue to the SPECTROSCOPY AND LIFE RESEARCH section of your task cards.
SPECTROSCOPY AND LIFE RESEARCH
Follow these directions for researching and analyzing SPECTROSCOPY
1. Read the notes from the previous OCEAN officer by clicking on the box labeled SPECTROSCOPY.
SPECTROSCOPY
Spectroscopy is used in astronomy and remote sensing (collecting information about an object without making physical contact with the object) on Earth. Most research telescopes have spectrographs. Atoms and molecules have unique spectra that can be used to detect, identify, and quantify information about the atoms and molecules. The measured spectra are used to determine the chemical composition and physical properties of astronomical objects (such as their temperature and velocity).
2. Read the notes from the previous OCEAN officer on organic elements and finding life by clicking on the box labeled LIFE.
LIFE
The following elements/compounds are widely considered as signs of life:
- Hydrogen–bonds to carbon chains to create lipids, fats, amino acids, and nucleobases which are the building blocks of DNA.
- Carbon–easily bonds to other carbon atoms to create carbon chains that allow other atoms to bond. This creates the foundation for larger organic molecules.
- Nitrogen–bonds to carbon chains to create lipids, fats, amino acids, and nucleobases which are the building blocks of DNA.
- Oxygen–bonds to carbon chains to create lipids, fats, amino acids, and nucleobases which are the building blocks of DNA.
- Sulfur–allows for electrons to be shuffled. Sulfur is the catalyst for reactions.
- Methane–created from digestion in living organisms.
As the probe explores the water ocean of Europa, it will be collecting information about the composition of the water. Any concentration of these elements/compounds above 100ppm is considered a concentration high enough for life to possibly exist.
3. Complete the SPECTROSCOPY AND LIFE RESEARCH DATA LOG by answering the questions. Click “Submit” when you are finished.
SPECTROSCOPY AND LIFE RESEARCH DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
SPECTROSCOPY DATA
SPECTRA
An emission spectrum occurs when the atoms and molecules in a hot gas emit light at certain wavelengths, causing bright lines to appear in a spectrum. The pattern of these lines is unique for each element. We can see emission spectra from comets, nebula and certain types of stars. Below is a sample emission spectrum for hydrogen.
The red and blue lines that you see within the full rainbow of colors is the signature of hydrogen that scientists use in spectroscopy. You will be looking at a spectrometer reading of Europa’s atmosphere to identify the composition. You will use the image below to compare the probe results and determine the most abundant gas on Europa’s surface.
ATTENTION: Stop here until the probe is launched and probe data has been received.
2. Once the probe has impacted Europa, a download code will show on DATA SELECT. Type the code into the PROBE ANALYSIS DATA LOG below. Click “Next”
3. Complete the PROBE ANALYSIS DATA LOG as instructed. Click “Submit” when you are finished.
PROBE ANALYSIS DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “Flight Director” from the drop-down menu.
3. Send the following message:
This is OCEAN. I have completed all my tasks.
4. Wait quietly for any further instructions.