Radio Waves May Find Exomoons: Study

In renewed hope of finding life outside our solar system, physicists said that following a trail of radio wave emissions may lead them to discover exomoons harbouring life

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Aug, 2017 ) : In renewed hope of finding life outside our solar system, physicists said that following a trail of radio wave emissions may lead them to discover exomoons harbouring life.

Scientists have in recent years discovered over 1,800 planets outside our solar system, or exoplanets, but so far, no one has been able to confirm an exomoon. Physicists describe radio wave emissions that result from the interaction between Jupiter's magnetic field and its moon "Io".

By using detailed calculations about the Jupiter/Io dynamic to look for radio emissions, it may be possible to find moons orbiting an exoplanet, said the study published in the Astrophysical Journal.

"What if this mechanism happens outside of our solar system? We did the calculations and they show that actually there are some star systems that if they have moons, it could be discovered in this way," said Zdzislaw Musielak, a professor of physics from University of Texas at Arlington.

"Larger moons such as Saturn's largest moon Titan can sustain a thick atmosphere and that could also mean they have an ionosphere. So volcanic activity is not a requirement," said lead author Joaquin Noyola.