Astrobiology Science Conference Session on the Habitability of Ocean Worlds

http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/abscicon2017

Theme:  Solar System Sites
Session:  Ice and Ocean Worlds
Subsession:  Habitability
Topic:  Habitability of Ocean Worlds, Their Prospects for Life Detection, and Exoplanet Analogs
Short Title (listed on abstract submission form):  Habitability of Ocean Worlds
Organizers:  Steve Vance (Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech), [email protected] , and Patricia Beauchamp (Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech), [email protected]

Summary:   Many remote and in situ observations provide evidence for oceans in Europa, Enceladus, Ganymede, Callisto, and Titan, and NASA has embarked on a mission to Europa with the goal of understanding the habitability of this and other ocean worlds. To address how to detect life on these bodies, the science community has developed the “Ladder of Life” as tool to investigate the astrobiological potential of planetary bodies. Long-term habitability in each moon is greatly affected by the mineralogy, reaction chemistry, and heat sources of their deep interiors. In Europa and Enceladus, strong water-rock chemical interactions, important to sustain potential habitable environments, have been suggested by the presence of potential solutes on their surface and polar jets. Ganymede, Callisto and Titan probably have high thermal gradients and diverse chemistries that might support life, but they also have high-pressures not found in Earth’s hydrosphere and dense ice phases that may impede water-rock interaction. This session will examine the astrobiological potential of ocean worlds in our solar system, with discussions on future research and spacecraft missions and earth-system analogs. The session will also examine features and processes of Deep Ocean Worlds, how upcoming missions may explore these aspects, and how such studies inform investigations of super-Earths and potential super-Ganymedes in other systems. Topics covered include (but are not limited to) life detection, water and exotic solvents, chemical energy for life, organics and their detection, and continuing and future outer solar system exploration.

Meeting dates: April 24-28, 2017
Abstract deadline: January 18, 2017