Project:	Electrical Properties of of Icy World Oceans from Laboratory Measurements (JPL AO No. 15595)
Disciplines:	Planetary Science, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering
Mentor:	Steven Vance, (JPL), Steven.D.Vance@jpl.nasa.gov, Phone: (626) 437-6200
Background:	Many icy satellites are known or suspected to host extensive liquid water oceans under their surfaces. Understanding ocean composition based on geochemistry gives us clues into the processes that drive interior oceans, and also provides insight into fundamental physical and chemical phenomena not found on Earth. Jupiter's moon Europa is geologically active, with a highly irradiated surface providing a possible oxidizing source of chemical energy to complement reducing sources from the interior. Europa is perhaps the most promising candidate for extant life, though its neighbors Ganymede and Callisto are also thought to have internal oceans. Saturn's exotic moons Enceladus and Titan probably also have oceans, to say nothing of the moons Uranus and Neptune of the menagerie of icy worlds farther away and around other stars. This project seeks to improve the chemical data pertaining to the electrical conductivity using a combination of computer modeling and experimentation.
Description:	This project incorporates new laboratory electrical conductivity data into existing open-source models to support the analysis of Europa Clipper magnetic field measurements. The student will use electrical impedance spectra, measured in the laboratory, to investigate aqueous solutions representing possibilities for the subsurface ocean of Europa. The resulting data will be used in PlanetProfile to model a broad spectrum of possible Europa oceans. These models will be compared with possible magnetic induction signatures of Europa’s ocean using the MoonMag and PlanetMag* codes. *soon to be released
References:	Bollengier, O., Brown, J. M., and Shaw, G. H. (2019). Thermodynamics of pure liquid water: Sound speed measurements to 700 MPa down to the freezing point, and an equation of state to 2300 MPa from 240 to 500 K. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 151(5):054501. Brown, J. M. (2018). Local basis function representations of thermodynamic surfaces: Water at high pressure and temperature as an example. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 463:18–31. Journaux, B., Brown, J., Pakhomova, A., Collings, I., Petitgirard, S., Espinoza, P., Boffa Ballaran, T., Vance, S., Ott, J., Cova, F., and et al. (2020). Holistic approach for studying planetary hydrospheres: Gibbs representation of ices thermodynamics, elasticity and the water phase diagram to 2300 MPa. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125:e2019JE006176. Vance, S. D., Styczinski, M. J., Bills, B. G., Cochrane, C. J., Soderlund, K. M., Gómez- Pérez, N., and Paty, C. (2021). Magnetic induction responses of Jupiter’s ocean moons including effects from adiabatic convection. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 2020je006418.
Student Requirements:	This project explores the properties of Europa’s interior. This work involves concepts from thermodynamics, high pressure physics, physical chemistry of aqueous solutions, and geochemistry. Published papers and computer models for Europa will be used as educational materials to bring the student up to speed. The student must have some background in computer programming, ideally with python. Background in science, especially physics or chemistry, is required. Familiarity with concepts from geophysics/geochemistry is preferred, but not required.
Location / Safety:	Project building and/or room locations: . Student will need special safety training: .
Programs:	This AO can be done under the following programs:   Program    Available To        SURF@JPL    both Caltech and non-Caltech students  Click on a program name for program info and application requirements.