<p>No, nothing on Europa could possibly be photosynthesizing as we know it. Jupiter doesn't emit light, and what it reflects from the sun is not enough, plus there's no significant amount of carbon dioxide there. </p>

<p>However, the first life on Earth was not plants, it was <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotroph" rel="nofollow noreferrer">chemotrophs</a>. These bacteria gained their energy from the heat of hydrothermal vents, and if there's life on Europa, it would almost certainly take this form. </p>

<p>About the temperature: Europa's heat comes from friction due to tidal forces, so it comes from within. The water temperature increases as you go down, but the pressure is crushing down there and it's unknown whether life could form under those conditions.</p>

<p>The tenuous oxygen atmosphere comes from charged particles hitting it's cold surface and creating vapor. It does not indicate biological processes.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-09T16:03:26.610Z
"nothing on Europa could possibly be photosynthesizing" that's a little extreme! Science is constantly discovering things that it was sure was impossible. Europa's surface gets direct sunlight too, not just light from Jupiter. It's true that there isn't likely to be much sunlight, below the ice, but there isn't that much known about the ice. [IceCube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IceCube_Neutrino_Observatory) relies on transparency! but unless you can find a source to prove it, it may be premature to just state *a priori* there is absolutely no light for photosynthesis.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-09T16:13:13.933Z
@uhoh it gets reflected light from Jupiter, .
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-09T16:16:14.373Z
@Muze yes I'm just saying that that's not the only source of light. I'm pretty sure it gets just as much light directly from the Sun, as it does reflected light from Jupiter, and probably more.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-09T16:20:52.377Z
I wander if life could exist without visible light but only heat or a ecosystem void of chlorophyll.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-11T01:26:04.110Z
True, I just can't imagine it possibly becoming viable over other means. I guess I should be a bit less definitive, though. And Muze, as I was saying, some lifeforms on live off simply hydrothermal vents, without sun or other organisms.
Nathanael Vetters
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-27T05:38:26.240Z
2018-12-11T01:26:38.403Z
2018-12-11T01:26:38.403Z
Nathanael Vetters
<p>If Europa has an oxygen atmosphere with a water mantle, is it possible that there could be life under the crust of Europa ice on the ocean where it is warmer? What could be the temperature under the ice? </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/x5h6C.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/x5h6C.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
Image of all the water of Earth beside it in a sphere.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bScsI.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bScsI.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T22:52:22.017Z
Why would you think that Europa has an oxygen atmosphere?
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-25T14:43:33.977Z
OP .. "is it possible that there could be life under the crust of Europa" .. simply google "Life on Europa" for zillions of articles about just this idea!  Good luck!
Fattie
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-29T16:21:19.410Z
@AtmosphericPrisonEscape I read it somewhere but it maybe an oxygen rich ocean.
Muze
<light><planetary-atmosphere><life><core><europa>
What is the underwater temperature of Europa?
Muze
# What is the underwater temperature of Europa?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-22)

If Europa has an oxygen atmosphere with a water mantle, is it possible that there could be life under the crust of Europa ice on the ocean where it is warmer? What could be the temperature under the ice?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/x5h6C.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/x5h6C.jpg)
Image of all the water of Earth beside it in a sphere.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/bScsI.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/bScsI.jpg)

**Tags:** light, planetary-atmosphere, life, core, europa

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Why would you think that Europa has an oxygen atmosphere?  
> **username_2**: OP .. "is it possible that there could be life under the crust of Europa" .. simply google "Life on Europa" for zillions of articles about just this idea!  Good luck!  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I read it somewhere but it maybe an oxygen rich ocean.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-11-27. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

No, nothing on Europa could possibly be photosynthesizing as we know it. Jupiter doesn't emit light, and what it reflects from the sun is not enough, plus there's no significant amount of carbon dioxide there.

However, the first life on Earth was not plants, it was [chemotrophs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotroph). These bacteria gained their energy from the heat of hydrothermal vents, and if there's life on Europa, it would almost certainly take this form.

About the temperature: Europa's heat comes from friction due to tidal forces, so it comes from within. The water temperature increases as you go down, but the pressure is crushing down there and it's unknown whether life could form under those conditions.

The tenuous oxygen atmosphere comes from charged particles hitting it's cold surface and creating vapor. It does not indicate biological processes.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: "nothing on Europa could possibly be photosynthesizing" that's a little extreme! Science is constantly discovering things that it was sure was impossible. Europa's surface gets direct sunlight too, not just light from Jupiter. It's true that there isn't likely to be much sunlight, below the ice, but there isn't that much known about the ice. [IceCube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IceCube_Neutrino_Observatory) relies on transparency! but unless you can find a source to prove it, it may be premature to just state *a priori* there is absolutely no light for photosynthesis.  
> **username_0**: @username_4 it gets reflected light from Jupiter, .  
> **username_4**: @username_0 yes I'm just saying that that's not the only source of light. I'm pretty sure it gets just as much light directly from the Sun, as it does reflected light from Jupiter, and probably more.  
> **username_0**: I wander if life could exist without visible light but only heat or a ecosystem void of chlorophyll.  
> **username_3**: True, I just can't imagine it possibly becoming viable over other means. I guess I should be a bit less definitive, though. And username_0, as I was saying, some lifeforms on live off simply hydrothermal vents, without sun or other organisms.  

---

