India, March 21 -- Europa's icy crust found to be at least 20 kilometres thick

Scientists are studying Europa, one of Jupiter's many moons, to see if it could support life. One of the key factors that could determine the likelihood of life on this natural satellite is the structure of the icy moon, which is as old as the Earth.

A new study published in journal Science Advances has estimated Europa's ice shell to be at least 20 kilometres thick. Europa has a water ice crust, which hides a vast saltwater ocean below. Previous estimates of its ice shell thickness range from only a few kilometres thick up to a few tens of kilometres thick.

These differences in estimates are because scientists used different surface features on Europa, such...