"Ozone Discovery on Jupiter's Moon"

"Ozone Discovery on Jupiter's Moon"

GS PAPER 3

(SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

Discovery of Ozone on Callisto:

• International team of scientists, including from India, discovered ozone on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto.
• Published in March 2024 in the journal Icarus.
• Study focused on chemical evolution of 'SO2 astrochemical ice' under UV irradiation.
• UV absorption spectra analysis identified distinct ozone signature.

Importance of Ozone:

• Ozone shields Earth from harmful UV radiation.
• UV-B and UV-C components damage DNA, increase cancer risk.
• Ozone layer absorbs UV-B and UV-C radiation.
• Essential for maintaining habitable conditions on Earth.

Callisto's Unique Environment:

• Callisto: Jupiter's Second-largest moon.
• Composition: water ice, rocky materials, sulphur dioxide, organic compounds.
• Heavily cratered surface, indicating long history of impacts.
• Stable surface, relatively inactive geologically.
• Potential for subsurface ocean or habitats beneath icy crust.

Recreating Conditions on Earth:

• Led by R. Ramachandran, scientists investigated chemical evolution of sulphur dioxide ice under irradiation.
• Experiments conducted at NSRRC in Taiwan to mimic solar radiation.
• Used vacuum ultraviolet photons to simulate sunlight.
• Lithium fluoride substrate used to model Callisto's surface.
• Controlled temperature conditions during experiments.

Detection of Ozone and Potential Habitability:

• Ultraviolet absorption spectrum revealed ozone formation after irradiation.
• Ozone presence suggests oxygen presence, crucial for life's complex molecules.
• Raises questions about Callisto's habitability and potential for life.
• Discovery extends to other icy moons in the Solar System.
• Comparison with Hubble Space Telescope data confirmed ozone presence.

Insights and Future Research:

• Unidentified band in absorption spectrum hints at common molecular source on icy moons.
• Provides insights into geological and atmospheric processes.
• Helps understand formation mechanisms of Jupiter and its moons.
• Active research area with potential for further discoveries.