LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Europa
built 221 days ago
Unlike the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, Europa's is not of biological origin. As first predicted by R. E. Johnson and colleagues,[44] the "surface-bounded atmosphere" forms through radiolysis, the dissociation of molecules through radiation. Solar ultraviolet radiation and charged particles (ions and electrons) from the Jovian magnetospheric environment collide with Europa's icy surface, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen constituents. These chemical components are then adsorbed and "sputtered" into the atmosphere. The same radiation ... creates collisional ejections of these products from the surface, and the balance of these two processes forms an atmosphere.[45] Molecular oxygen is the densest component of the atmosphere because it has a long lifetime; after returning to the surface, it does not stick (freeze) like a water or hydrogen peroxide molecule but rather desorbs from the surface and starts another ballistic arc. Molecular hydrogen never reaches the surface, as it is light enough to escape Europa's surface gravity.[46][47]
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Despite Chapman's desire to build the Europa, the project had been delayed whilst a suitable power plant was found. The Lotus Twin Cam unit was considered too expensive to engineer into the transverse, mid-engined position initially. It was at the Paris Motor Show that Chapman found his inspiration. Renault had just launched the front wheel drive Renault 16, using a 4 cylinder, 1470cc engine. Chapman realised that by swinging the engine through 90º and reversing the final drive he had the solution he needed. Using connections at Renault, Lotus secured a supply of 82bhp (standard was 52bhp) versions of the engine and the project went ahead.
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Recent images taken by the Galileo spacecraft appear to enhance Europa's prospects as one of the places in the Solar System that could have hosted the development of life. They ... demonstrate that there was enough heat to drive the flows on the surface. Chaotic features seen in many images of Europa's icy surface are probably created by Europa's tides, and are believed to be evidence of melt-through needed for exposing the oceans. The mixing of substances needed to support primative life may be driven by the tides on Europa, with maximum heights of 500 meters (much larger than Earth tides). Circulation of liquid water through cracks produced by tidal forces could bring salts and organic compounds dissolved in the water up to Europa's surface. This circulation also brings biologically useful chemicals, such as formaldehyde (as well as organic compounds dumped on Europa's surface by cometary impacts) down to the subsurface ocean.
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Recent Galileo spacecraft images have provided evidence that Europa had a liquid ocean underneath the frozen crust sometime in its history, but it is not clear if this ocean still exists. Of the various explanations proposed by scientists, most scenarios of Europa's evolution have the water layer freezing solid earlier in its history. The moon's surface is -260° F, which could freeze an ocean over several million years. But scientists think that the warming caused by a tidal tug of war with Jupiter and neighboring moons could be keeping large parts of the ocean liquid.
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According to legend, Zeus was enamored of Europa and decided to seduce or ravish her, the two being near-equivalent in Greek myth. He transformed himself into a tame white bull and mixed in with her father's herds. While Europa and her female attendants were gathering flowers, she saw the bull, caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back, to the island of Crete. He then revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. Zeus gave her a necklace made by Hephaestus[11] and three additional gifts: Talos, Laelaps and a javelin that never missed.
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This view of Europa shows a portion of the surface that has been highly disrupted by fractures and ridges. This picture covers an area about 238 kilometers (150 miles) wide by 225 kilometers (140 miles), or about the distance between Los Angeles and San Diego. Symmetric ridges in the dark bands suggest that the surface crust was separated and filled with darker material, somewhat analogous to spreading centers in the ocean basins of Earth. Although some impact craters are visible, their general absence indicates a youthful surface. The youngest ridges, such as the two features that cross the center of the picture, have central fractures, aligned knobs, and irregular dark patches. These and other features could indicate cryovolcanism, or processes related to eruption of ice and gases.
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Europa