Thickness of a Europan Ice Shell from Impact Crater Simulations

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1062492
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T09:37:46Z
• Authors: E. P. Turtle; E. Pierazzo
• Keywords: Liquid water; Jupiter (rocket family); Water ice

Several impact craters on Jupiter's satellite Europa exhibit central peaks. On the terrestrial planets, peaks consist of fractured but competent rock uplifted during cratering. Therefore, observation indicates that an ice layer must be sufficiently thick events did not completely penetrate it. We conducted numerical simulations vapor and melt production cratering water layers overlying liquid to estimate thickness Europa's icy crust. Because impacts disrupt material well beyond zone partial melting, our put a lower limit at locations times impact. conclude more than 3 4 kilometers thick.