Europa: Geological activity and surface - subsurface exchange

Jupiter's moon Europa has a geologically young surface, allowing the possibility of current, ongoing geological activity. We are searching the Galileo database for overlapping images taken during the 5-year mission, and are comparing images using an iterative coregistration technique to look for changes due to geological activity. We will also discuss methods by which such activity could occur on Europa. We are particularly interested in the ability of geological processes to bring surface material down into the subsurface, and to bring subsurface material up to the surface. We are continuing a survey of such processes, including endogenic tectonic and cryovolcanic activity, and exogenic processes such as gardening and impact cratering.