One of the satellites of the largest planet in the Solar System has a mystery that has scientists confused.
Of all the planets in the Solar System, Jupiter is one of the ones with the most moons orbiting around it and some of them have even been theorized as potential places to find extraterrestrial life. You can see Jupiter from Earth, and sometimes also to its satellitesand one of these is now the protagonist of a story that has to do with excessive presence of molecular oxygen.
Callisto and the enigmatic presence of oxygen
Through a recent article published in JGR Planets magazinewe have been able to come across a mystery unexpected: the satellite Callisto owns a atmosphere so rich in oxygen which baffles scientists.
The presence of the so-called molecular oxygencomposed of two oxygen atoms, in Callisto is well known and was previously believed to be due to the influence of the magnetosphere of the planet, which moved molecules of this element from its icy surface into the atmosphere. However, after years of calculations, it seems that this theory does not complete the explanation.
A recent analysis finds up to 1,000 times more molecular oxygen than can be explained by prevailing theories about where it comes from. https://t.co/1Qo7uk292b
— CNET (@CNET) September 14, 2023
Shane Carberry Mogan is the lead author of the study and statements made to CNET states that:
There is a great discrepancy. We were off by two orders of magnitude or even three orders of magnitude.
Translating these statements, what the planetary scientist means is that there is a oxygen concentration 100 or 1,000 times higher to what had always been thought. However, for the moment the resolution of the mystery continues to elude the most reputable scientists.
A recent analysis finds up to 1,000 times more molecular oxygen than can be explained by prevailing theories about where it comes from. https://t.co/1Qo7uk292b
— CNET (@CNET) September 14, 2023
One of the main places that could shed light on this enigma is the city itself. icy surface of the moon Callisto, which once studied more closely, and in the words of Shane Carberry Mogan himself, ‘is largely a dark surface, which may have from millimeters to kilometers of depth‘.
And it is that one of the great debates that arise around Calisto is whether we are facing a rocky or icy celestial body, since in this last case, we could have a large part of the solution to the mystery that has just been revealed to the surprise of the scientific community. And who could have the clue to end speculation? Well, it seems that the next joint ESA and NASA mission, called Europa Clippercould shed light on the enigma of Calypso.