Tectonics and water on Europa
E. Gaidos and F. Nimmo, Nature, 405, 637, 2000.
We argue that some surface features of Europa are formed by soft ice
that is heated by viscous dissipation of tidal motion along faults. This
mechanism does not reqire a shallow ocean to be effective. Our model
does suggest that transient pockets of liquid water or brine could form
at shallow depths in the crust.
Francis' Page
Department of Earth Sciences
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nimmo@esc.cam.ac.uk
This page was last modified on 22 May 2000.