Dynamic recrystallization within Europas ice shell: Implications for solid-state convection

Solid-state convection has been proposed to occur within Europas ice shell based both on the interpretation of observed geological activity during Galileo spacecraft exploration and theoretical investigations. Laboratory experiments have investigated the effect of grain size insensitive creep and grain size sensitive creep on the ductile behaviour of polycrystalline ice. The ice grain size and the ice impurities content and, consequently, the viscosity of the ice within Europas ice shell are poorly constrained, limiting the possibility to understand if solid-state convection can occur under Europas ice shell conditions. To investigate how diurnal tidal flexing and the internal dynamics of Europas ice shell influence the ice grain crystals evolution, we adopted a thermal-mechanical numerical model that uses finite differences and marker-in-cell techniques, implementing the dynamic recrystallization of the ice and the ice grain evolution in a self-consistent way with the numerical model. We found that solid-state convection within Europas ice shell can occur if it is diurnally tidally deformed, as the tidal stresses within the ice shell operate to reduce the ice grain sizes and the ice viscosity. We discuss future radio science experiments, in combination with radar sounder investigations, that will be capable of characterizing the possible presence of solid-state convection within Europas ice shell. Acknowledgements:G.M. acknowledges support from the Italian Space Agency (2023-6- HH.0).