Topological analysis of Europa’s fracture networks

Europa’s surface is dominated by lineaments that record its tectonic evolution and provide key constraints on ice-shell dynamics. While previous studies have primarily relied on descriptive mapping, here we apply a quantitative framework integrating geometric and topological analyses to characterize fracture networks within high-resolution Galileo SSI mosaics. Lineaments were mapped using the deep learning tool LineaMapper followed by manual refinements in QGIS, producing a consistent dataset across two representative areas located in the leading and trailing hemispheres. From these networks, we computed spacing, density ( P 21 ), and orientation, and performed a topological analysis with the Python package Fractopo. Within the specific areas investigated, the trailing-hemisphere area exhibits higher lineament density, greater node frequency, and more segmented networks, whereas the leading-hemisphere area contains longer, more continuous lineaments with lower connectivity. Orientation patterns further show that longer fractures preferentially align E–W, consistent with tidal stress predictions. These results indicate that fracture networks in the examined sectors are moderately connected and spatially heterogeneous, reflecting local variations in stress and terrain type. The integrated approach presented here provides a quantitative baseline for future studies and will be particularly valuable for interpreting the unprecedented spatial coverage and resolution expected from ESA’s JUICE and NASA’s Europa Clipper missions. • Semi-automatic mapping of Europa’s fractures in Galileo SSI mosaics using LineaMapper and QGIS. • Topological metrics applied to Europa’s fracture networks for the first time. • Trailing area fractures are denser and more fragmented, while leading area is dominated by long, continuous global-scale fractures. • Topological analysis (nodes, branches, ternary metrics) provides quantitative constraints to test geophysical models of tidal dissipation and shell rheology. • Results provide quantitative benchmarks for upcoming JUICE and Europa Clipper observations.