Newly released NASA images show possible water plumes erupting on Jupiter鈥檚 Europa moon.
The findings were presented by scientists Monday afternoon during a teleconference.
The images, taken by NASA鈥檚 Hubble space telescope, support previous Hubble observations that suggest the 鈥渋cy moon鈥� erupts with 鈥渉igh altitude water vapor plumes,鈥� officials said.
NASA astrophysics director Paul Hertz said the finding increases 鈥渙ur confidence鈥� that future missions to Europa may be able to sample its subsurface ocean without having to drill 鈥渋nto miles of ice.鈥�
The plumes are estimated to rise to a height of approximately 200 kilometres before 鈥渞aining material back down鈥� onto the moon鈥檚 surface.
Europa鈥檚 鈥済lobal鈥� ocean contains twice as much water as Earth鈥檚 oceans, and is below a layer of extremely cold and hard ice.
A team led by William Sparks, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, spotted 鈥渇inger-like projections鈥� while observing Europa as it passed in front of Jupiter in 2014.
However, the scientists say they do not have evidence that shows definitively it鈥檚 water plumes they are observing.
鈥淲e remain cautious,鈥� Sparks said during the teleconference.
It鈥檚 not the first time the Hubble space telescope has observed evidence of activity on Europa, one of Jupiter鈥檚 many moons.
In late 2013, NASA announced that the telescope had observed water vapour above the 鈥渇rigid south polar region鈥� of Europa. Scientists said it was the first 鈥渟trong evidence of water plumes erupting off the moon鈥檚 surface.鈥�
It鈥檚 been a big year for Jupiter itself. In July, NASA spacecraft Juno reached the planet, following a five-year voyage to begin its exploratory mission. Scientists believe that Jupiter formed shortly after the sun. Learning about its past, scientists say, may help to understand how the solar system, including Earth, developed.
