Implications of high-pressure oxygen hydrates on radiolytic oxygen in Jovian icy moons

Frost, Mungo; Kuzovnikov, Mikhail A.; Dalladay-Simpson, Philip; Howie, Ross T.; Loveday, John S.; Ranieri, Umbertoluca; Gregoryanz, Eugene

doi:10.1038/s42004-025-01509-y

Implications of high-pressure oxygen hydrates on radiolytic oxygen in Jovian icy moons

Journal Article · Tue Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Communications Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01509-y· OSTI ID:2563506

^[1]; Kuzovnikov, Mikhail A. ^[2]; ^[3]; Howie, Ross T. ^[4]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[5]

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdom)
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai (China)
Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdom); Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai (China)
Univ. of Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdom); Shanghai Advanced Research in Physical Sciences (SHARPS) (China); Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China)

Various icy moons, such as Europa and Ganymede, have thin oxygen atmospheres and exhibit spectral features attributed to oxygen held in their surface ices. The oxygen forms from the radiolysis of water. The interiors of these bodies are subject to high pressures and it is not known how deep into icy moons oxygen-bearing ices can penetrate, or the structures formed by the oxygen–water system at high pressure. Here, we show that oxygen hydrates are stable to 2.6 GPa, allowing them to penetrate deep into icy moons, both above and below proposed sub-surface liquid-water oceans. Similarities between oxygen and hydrogen hydrates indicate potentially enhanced recombination rates, transforming them back into water and offering a resolution to the discrepancy between predicted and measured radiolysis rates. In addition to the low-pressure CS-II clathrate, our results find three high-pressure phases in the oxygen–water system: an ST clathrate, a C₀ hydrate, and a filled ice isomorphous with methane hydrate III. This shows a vast storage potential for molecular oxygen in icy moons and indicates that Europa could still be absorbing oxygen into its crustal ice.

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Research Organization:: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: European Research Council (ERC); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515

Other Award/Contract Number:: FWP100182
948895
FWP100866

OSTI ID:: 2563506

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2575403

Journal Information:: Communications Chemistry, Journal Name: Communications Chemistry Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 8; ISSN 2399-3669

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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