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[Sheb]

You still need to move around with a spool of fiber tens of kilometers long. It needs to be coated to be resistant, and I don't know how optic fibre withstand temperatures of 120K. Wouldn't it make them extra brittle?

Anyway, I for one vote for sonic communications, sound waves travel far and wide, and the technology is already used for submarines.

[MonkeyHead]

Hmm. What about ground penetrating radar? Is there a reasonable way we could get that to work beyond 25m or so to transmit data?

[10ebbor10]

Hmm. What about ground penetrating radar? Is there a reasonable way we could get that to work beyond 25m or so to transmit data?

Not really. We'd need some serious explosives to create sound waves that strong.

[MonkeyHead]

Sound waves? Nah, GPS uses radar not sonar.

GPR uses VHF/UHF frequencies of EM radiation. Apparently ice is optimal for GPR and depths of several hundred metres can be managed. GPR is used currently for imaging of subsurface features, but I am sure it would be trivial to encode data into it - several hundred meters through ice seems ideal for an Europa/Enceladus probe.

[Scoops Novel]

I think Europa is thought to have unusually think ice at the bottom of it's possible (10ebber10, if we have proved it please explain) oceans? Anyone have details? Also, any idea on the procedures if there turns out to bacteria etc. within the ice where drilling through?

[10ebbor10]

The ice is probably at least 10-30 km thick.

We know because there are craters in it.

Edit: There's also a thin ice model, which limits the depth to 2-4 km. If it were less than a kilometer, we'd be pretty mucj certain that there's water. Sensors can kinda see that.

-We're not certain that there are oceans. It could also be some kind of ductile ice or something. But it all ends up quite well. Also, Europa has a magnetic field* at times, which suggest the presence or a magnetisable thingy.

*induction by Jupiter

[kaian-a-coel]

alternatively we can try the Chaos:





Much thinner ice there. (all of this is still speculation and not yet proven)

[Scoops Novel]

Much thinner ice there. (all of this is still speculation and not yet proven)

Do you think the aliens are french?

[Loud Whispers]

Much thinner ice there. (all of this is still speculation and not yet proven)

Do you think the aliens are french?

French Europa.

How terrifying.

[MrWiggles]

In flying pyramids.   

[Descan]

PTW.

Poland!

[ChairmanPoo]

All these worlds are yours except Europa

[Scoops Novel]

Much thinner ice there. (all of this is still speculation and not yet proven)

Do you think the aliens are french?

French Europa.

How terrifying.

And now for the secondary purpose of this question! Is it likely that the ice above the liquid oceans shifts much? Would a natural shaft down open?

[10ebbor10]

Well, it shifts quite a lot.

But no, no natural shafts. Even in the thin ice model, pictured above, you've still got 4 km ice. Shafts might come up momentarily, but they're crushed under his own weight. Besides, even if they come close to the bottom, the water would shoot up and freeze the entire shaft. So no spelunking.

[Scoops Novel]

Well, it shifts quite a lot.

But no, no natural shafts. Even in the thin ice model, pictured above, you've still got 4 km ice. Shafts might come up momentarily, but they're crushed under his own weight. Besides, even if they come close to the bottom, the water would shoot up and freeze the entire shaft. So no spelunking.

I'm trying and failing to find examples of subterranean organisms reacting to daylight for the first time. Incidentally, how are we avoiding the bolded, at least (if we are) for the equipment left behind?