Revisiting dust dynamics in Europa’s plumes based on Galileo detection data

Abstract

Europa’s plume eruption activity provides a unique opportunity to explore its subsurface ocean and potential biological activity. Based on in-situ detection data from the Galileo spacecraft, it has been concluded that Europa’s plumes have an inclined ejection structure. On this basis, in this study, large-scale simulations of dust dynamics were performed, and the influence of Europa’s plume structures and parameters on dust dynamics was analyzed. Compared with the nearly circular deposition area from vertical eruptions, the surface deposition of plume particles from an inclined eruption exhibits an offset in the tilt direction. Additionally, the plume particle spatial distribution from inclined eruptions is sparser at higher altitudes than that from vertical eruptions. The size of the deposition area is significantly influenced by the gas velocity, whereas the degree of deposition concentration is affected by the critical grain radius and the size distribution exponent, which is similar to that of Enceladus. Lower gas velocity and smaller critical grain radius also result in a sparser distribution at high altitudes. Furthermore, the surface deposition and spatial distribution of the double eruption locations are also considered.