after nearly three decades of mystery,scientists have finally steadfast the origin of a striking,spiderweb-like feature on Europa,one of JupiterS largest moons. The formation, dubbed “Damhán Alla” – Irish for “spider” or “wall demon” – was first spotted in 1998 by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft and has now been linked to the upwelling of saltwater through fractures in the moon’s icy shell following an asteroid impact. This discovery, published in The Planetary Science Journal, offers new insights into Europa’s subsurface ocean and bolsters the search for potential habitability as NASA’s Europa Clipper mission prepares to arrive in 2030.
A mysterious structure resembling a spiderweb, hidden on Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, has finally been scientifically explained after nearly 30 years. The unique formation not only has a newly understood origin but has also been given a striking new name: Damhán Alla.
The structure was first identified in March 1998 by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft during a flyby of Europa. Located within the 22-kilometer-wide Manannán crater, the dark, branching pattern – known as dendritic – puzzled scientists for decades. The discovery underscores the challenges and rewards of studying distant celestial bodies and the potential for uncovering unexpected geological processes.
Inspired by ‘Lake Stars’ on Earth
Initially, experts hypothesized the pattern formed due to Jupiter’s extreme gravitational forces or hydrothermal vent eruptions on the seafloor of Europa’s subsurface ocean. However, a recent study published in The Planetary Science Journal on December 2 offered a more grounded explanation.
Researchers propose the “spiderweb” formed through a process similar to the phenomenon of “lake stars” on Earth. On our planet, these patterns appear when snow falls on a frozen lake and water seeps up through small holes in the ice.
“Lake stars are beautiful and quite common on frozen lakes or ponds covered in snow,” said Laura Mc Keown, a planetary scientist at the University of Central Florida and the study’s lead author. “It’s remarkable to consider that this phenomenon might give us insight into processes happening on Europa.”
The research team successfully recreated the mysterious formation in a laboratory setting. According to the study, Damhán Alla likely originated from an asteroid impact that created small fractures in Europa’s icy shell. These fractures allowed saltwater to seep upwards, forming the spiderweb-like pattern on the surface.
A New Name Rooted in Irish Mythology
Alongside the discovery, researchers officially named the structure Damhán Alla, which means “spider” or “wall demon” in Irish. The name was chosen to complement the name of the Manannán crater, taken from a god in Irish Celtic mythology.
Clues in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
This research has significant implications for NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, launched in October 2024 and scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in 2030. The mission aims to investigate whether Europa has the potential to harbor life.
“The importance of our research is really exciting,” Mc Keown stated. “Surface features like these can tell us a lot about what’s happening beneath the ice. If we see more similar patterns with Europa Clipper, it could indicate the presence of local saltwater ponds under the surface.”
These saltwater ponds are considered highly promising starting points for the future search for signs of extraterrestrial life. (Live Science/Z-2)
