Hydrothermal Vents Under the Arctic Ice are Perfect Places to Practice Exploring Europa - by spacewriter
The Aurora site is one form of underwater volcanism. We are familiar with the famous towering “black smoker” and “white smoker” volcanic vents discovered in the late 1970s. It turns out that volcanic eruptions on the sea bed take many forms. Most of them happen along the tectonic plate boundaries and isolated hot spots. At Aurora, the site lies on something called the Gakkel Ridge rift-valley floor. It’s about 100 meters across, which is fairly large.
Deep-sea mining is a tricky subject. Discoveries of mineral deposits are subject to decision-making bodies such as the International Seabed Authority and the Aurora site falls under its purview. German points out that there are high levels of copper and gold present in the Aurora deposits. They might be a lot more abundant along one-half of all the world’s ridge crests, he pointed out.
A black smoker was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean in 1979. It’s fueled from deep beneath the surface by magma that superheats the water. The plume carries minerals and other materials out to the sea. Courtesy USGS.The chemical composition of the region around Aurora also reveals a lot about life. The mineral nutrients sustain life around such vents. And, that fascinates WHOI and other scientists as they focus attention on Aurora as an analog for other worlds.
For planetary scientists looking for habitable spots elsewhere in the solar system, studies of Aurora are particularly helpful. The discovery of life forms nestled happily in the ultra-hot waters surrounding vents was the first clue that it exists in what we’d consider intolerable conditions—for us. Yet, volcanic vents—including “black smokers”—provide habitats for an astonishing diversity of life.
The same special qualities could very well exist on Europa. And, for that matter, on Saturn’s moon Enceladus. And, perhaps other places in the solar system. Knowing that those moons could be similar to the Arctic site makes Aurora a natural lab for further studies.
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