Hydrated Salt Minerals on Ganymede's Surface: Evidence of an Ocean Below

Reflectance spectra from Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer (NIMS) suggests that the surface of Ganymede, the largest satellite of Jupiter, contains hydrated materials. These materials are interpreted to be similar to those found on Europa, that is, mostly frozen magnesium sulfate brines that are derived from a subsurface briny layer of fluid.