This investigation uses linear
mixture
modeling e
mploying cryogenic laboratory reference spectra to esti
mate surface co
mpositions and water ice grain sizes of Europa’s ridged plains and s
mooth low albedo plains. Near-infrared spectra for 23 exposures of ridged plains
materials are analyzed along with 11 spectra representing low albedo plains. Modeling indicates that these geologic units differ both in the relative abundance of non-ice hydrated species and in the abundance and grain sizes of water ice. The background ridged plains in our study area appear to consist predo
minantly of water ice (46 % ) with approxi
mately equal a
mounts (on average) of hydrated sulfuric acid (27 % ) and hydrated salts (27 % ). The solutions for the s
mooth low albedo plains are do
minated by hydrated salts (62 % ), with a relatively low
mean abundance of water ice (10 % ), and an abundance of hydrated sulfuric acid si
milar to that found in ridged plains (27 % ). The
model yields larger water ice grain sizes (100 μ
m versus 50–75 μ
m) in the ridged plains. The 1.5-μ
m water ice absorption band
mini
mu
m is found at shorter wavelengths in the low albedo plains deposits than in the ridged plains (1.498 ± .003 μ
m versus 1.504 ± .001 μ
m). The 2.0-μ
m band
mini
mu
m in the low albedo plains exhibits a so
mewhat larger blueshift (1.964 ± .006 μ
m versus 1.983 ± .006 μ
m for the ridged plains).
The study area spans longitudes from 168° to 185°W, which includes Europa’s leading side–trailing side boundary. A well-defined spatial gradient of sulfuric acid hydrate abundance is found for both geologic units, with concentrations increasing in the direction of the trailing side apex. We associate this distribution with the exogenic effects of magnetospheric charged particle bombardment and associated chemical processing of surface materials (the radiolytic sulfur cycle). However, one family of low albedo plains exposures exhibits sulfuric acid hydrate abundances up to 33 % lower than found for adjacent exposures, suggesting that these materials have undergone less processing, thus implying that these deposits may have been emplaced more recently.
Modeling identifies high abundances (to 30 % ) of magnesium sulfate brines in the low albedo plains exposures. Our investigation marks the first spectroscopic identification of MgSO4 brine on Europa. We also find significantly higher abundances of sodium-bearing species (bloedite and mirabilite) in the low albedo plains. The results illuminate the role of radiolytic processes in modifying the surface composition of Europa, and may provide new constraints for models of the composition of Europa’s putative subsurface ocean.