Unraveling the Mystery of Europa's Rotating Ice Shell and Buried Ocean

Scientists have used NASA supercomputers to study Europa's ice shell and found that the surface's out-of-sync rotation might be caused by ocean currents pushing from below. The ice shell floats on Europa's ocean, so it can rotate independently from the rest of the moon, including the ocean, rocky interior, and metallic core. The researchers used complex simulations of Europa's ocean to delve deeper into the details of water circulation on Europa, including how those patterns are influenced by the heating and cooling of the ocean. This research may also apply to other ocean worlds, the researchers point out, where surface features could offer hints about waters hidden below.