<p>If a Europa-like body were in the Sun's habitable zone, let's say in an orbit between Earth and Mars, would the body become and remain a water ocean planet? In the habitable zone, the Sun would warm up and melt Europa's icy surface which will first turn into water vapor because Europa has no atmosphere, but the water vapor might form an atmosphere around Europa (which would contain oxygen as well) and eventually Europa might get a liquid water surface. Would that be possible? And would the atmosphere remain or couldn't it remain due to Europa's low gravity? But what if the Europa-like body had a Mars-like gravity and/or an Earth-like magnetosphere?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-25T10:11:59.187Z
With no magnetic field the solar wind will soon blow off the atmosphere and the water will partly freeze and partly evaporate.
Yellow Sky
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-25T10:19:08.753Z
@YellowSky And if it had an Earth-like magnetosphere?
Ioannes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-25T10:36:33.487Z
Then it would be something in between Mars and Moon since Europa is smaller than Moon and even the core of much bigger Mars froze billions of years ago. If Europa were the size of Earth with magnetosphere like Earth's, it would be like Earths with a much deeper ocean.
Yellow Sky
<planetary-atmosphere><temperature><magnetic-field><water><europa>
Would Europa be an ocean planet if it were in the habitable zone?
Ioannes
# Would Europa be an ocean planet if it were in the habitable zone?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-25)

If a Europa-like body were in the Sun's habitable zone, let's say in an orbit between Earth and Mars, would the body become and remain a water ocean planet? In the habitable zone, the Sun would warm up and melt Europa's icy surface which will first turn into water vapor because Europa has no atmosphere, but the water vapor might form an atmosphere around Europa (which would contain oxygen as well) and eventually Europa might get a liquid water surface. Would that be possible? And would the atmosphere remain or couldn't it remain due to Europa's low gravity? But what if the Europa-like body had a Mars-like gravity and/or an Earth-like magnetosphere?

**Tags:** planetary-atmosphere, temperature, magnetic-field, water, europa

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: With no magnetic field the solar wind will soon blow off the atmosphere and the water will partly freeze and partly evaporate.  
> **username_0**: @YellowSky And if it had an Earth-like magnetosphere?  
> **username_1**: Then it would be something in between Mars and Moon since Europa is smaller than Moon and even the core of much bigger Mars froze billions of years ago. If Europa were the size of Earth with magnetosphere like Earth's, it would be like Earths with a much deeper ocean.  

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