What possibility is raised by the assumption that Europa’s ocean is in direct contact with its rocky seafloor?
Answer
The potential existence of hydrothermal vents, supporting ecosystems independent of sunlight.
The hypothesis that Europa’s global subsurface ocean maintains direct contact with its underlying rocky seafloor is significant because, on Earth, such interfaces often host hydrothermal vents. These vents are known to support complex and rich ecosystems entirely independent of energy derived from sunlight, relying instead on chemical energy provided by geological activity at the ocean floor. The presence of such an interface on Europa significantly increases the prospect of extant life.
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