Re: Where is the energy coming from?

Date: Mon Mar 4 15:35:04 2002
Posted By: Irene Little, Faculty, CASA, University of Colorado
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 1012025195.As

Message:


The energy that produces the tidal distortions comes out of the angular 
momentum of the Jupiter-Europa system.  This means that the gravitational 
potential energy of the Jupiter-Europa system is used to produce the 
frictional heating in Europa.
[So yes, this means that the orbit of Europa is decaying: a lower orbit means 
both less gravitational potential energy and less angular momentum - Mod.]

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