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Cybsled · 05-11-2008, 05:19 AM

Gravitational pull creating internal heat on Europa (and thus hot geothermal vents) has always been a popular theory.

There are still alot of questions regarding the thickness of Europa's ice shell, though. Some think it's rather thin (around the order of 1-2km), others think it is 40km+. In either case, some cyro-bot being able to drill/melt through that, THEN withstand the no-doubt huge amount of pressure in the water would be quite an engineering feat. It also more then likely would not be possible without some manner of nuclear power or better.

05-11-2008, 05:19 AM	#49 (permalink)
Cybsled Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 9,235 +14 Internets	Gravitational pull creating internal heat on Europa (and thus hot geothermal vents) has always been a popular theory. There are still alot of questions regarding the thickness of Europa's ice shell, though. Some think it's rather thin (around the order of 1-2km), others think it is 40km+. In either case, some cyro-bot being able to drill/melt through that, THEN withstand the no-doubt huge amount of pressure in the water would be quite an engineering feat. It also more then likely would not be possible without some manner of nuclear power or better. __________________ Training the citizens of Norrath from 1999-2003!