Figure 2: Example of cycloidal crack formation on Europa. Red lines represent the amplitude and orientation of the tensile stress. During the first orbit, cracking is initiated at 41 hours (shortly before apocenter). As propagation of the crack continues the orientation of the tensile stress vector changes causing the crack to change course. At the 71 hours into the orbit tension decreases to a point where crack propagation is no longer possible. The process repeats itself on subsequent orbits, making the characteristic cycloidal features.