What feature makes Europa a premier astrobiological target among the Galilean moons?
Answer
Icy shell covering a subsurface ocean
Europa is considered the premier target for the search for extraterrestrial life within our Solar System outside of Earth primarily because scientific analysis strongly suggests it harbors a vast saltwater ocean beneath its bright, icy surface. This hidden ocean is kept liquid by tidal heating generated by the gravitational forces exerted by Jupiter and the other large moons. The presence of liquid water, combined with known energy sources (tidal forces/radiolysis) and the availability of chemical components, satisfies the fundamental basic requirements needed to potentially support life as currently understood by astrobiologists.
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