Figure 36.26 Europa ice rafts.

This high-resolution image taken by Galileo on February 20, 1997, shows the ice-rich crust of Europa. Seen here are crustal plates ranging up to 13 km across, which have been broken apart and "rafted" into new positions, superficially resembling the disruption of pack-ice on polar seas during spring thaws on Earth. The size and geometry of these features suggest that motion was enabled by ice-crusted water or soft ice close to the surface at the time of disruption. (NASA/JPL)

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