Europa - The Ocean Moon tells the story of the Galileo spacecraft
probe to Jupiter's moon, Europa. It provides a detailed description of
the physical processes, including the dominating tidal forces that
operate on Europa, and includes a comprehensive tour of Europa using
images taken by Galileo's camera. The book reviews and evaluates the
interpretative work carried out to date, providing a philosophical
discussion of the scientific process of analyzing results and the
pitfalls that accompany it. It also examines the astrobiological
constraints on this possible biosphere, and implications for future
research, exploration and planetary biological protection. Europa -
The Ocean Moon provides a unique understanding of the Galileo images
of Europa, discusses the theory of tidal processes that govern its icy
ridged and disrupted surface, and examines in detail the physical
setting that might sustain extra-terrestrial life in Europa's ocean and
icy crust.