A lecturer and geologist at Stellenbosch University (SU) has been collaborating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to investigate the habitability of one of Jupiter’s moons.
After presenting the results of his research on 19 October, dr Matthew Mayne, of SU’s Department of Earth Sciences, confirmed that he will be continuing his collaboration with NASA going forward.
Dr Matthew Mayne from SU’s Department of Earth Sciences has been using his thermodynamic software tool, Rcrust, to investigate the habitability of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. PHOTO: Twitter/ James Hall
According to Mayne, a researcher for the Jet Propulsion Lab at NASA used a software program, which Mayne had produced, to do some modelling for Jupiter’s moon, Europa. The researcher then contacted Mayne in 2018 to ask if Mayne could tailor the software, which is when he started collaborating on NASA’s research.
The program, called Rcrust, is described by Mayne as a thermodynamic software tool.
“It’s purely a modelling concept,” said Mayne. “We don’t have much data from [Europa], so we’re trying to model what could be there without actually being there ourselves.”
According to Mayne, when he presented his results on 19 October, the most significant finding was that Europa has an ocean underneath a big ice sheet, but that it was unclear what the composition of the ocean is.
“[We were] doing some research trying to predict the composition because we wanted to know, is it potentially habitable for life?” said Mayne.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab is currently researching the composition of Europa’s ocean. VIDEO: NASA/JPL/University of Washington/John Delaney
Mayne confirmed that there was a Europa Clipper mission launched by NASA which will have a rover go past the moon within the next decade.
“It will have a spectrometer on board,” he said. “[The data collected] will potentially tell us what the composition of that ocean is.”
An artist’s concept of the Europa Clipper. PHOTO: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The importance of computer science
Considering the computer science behind the Rcrust modelling software, Mayne noted that computer science often intersects with other scientific fields, like planetary research, and that this trend would likely continue in future.
“In order to answer complicated questions, we need the help of computers,” he said.
Computing and programming skills are becoming essential in a diverse range of areas, said dr Brink van der Merwe of the Computer Sciences division of SU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences.
Van der Merwe assisted Mayne with the computer modelling for his research.
“I like new challenges and also to be of help to scientists in diverse areas,” said Van der Merwe.
For prof Alex Kisters, head of the Department of Earth Sciences, the international collaboration with prestigious institutions like NASA is recognition of the internationally recognised high-level research undertaken by the department.
“It is [the] integration of seemingly different fields – life and physical sciences – that highlights the multidisciplinary approach we are increasingly taking, also in the training of our students,” Kisters said.
An artist’s concept of the rocky, icy surface of Jupiter’s moon, Europa, with a view of Jupiter from the moon. PHOTO: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Looking ahead
Mayne said that he is looking to expand his research to Mars in the future, specifically how volcanic activity has changed the distribution of water on Mars, as well as the composition of the Martian crust.
“It could potentially be another place to look for the habitability of life,” he said.