NASA’s Juno Mission Unveils Hidden Lava Reservoirs on Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io
Decades of Volcanic Activity on Jupiter’s Moon Io Unveiled by Juno Spacecraft
Io, the innermost of Jupiter’s four largest moons, has long been known for its intense volcanic activity. The moon’s surface is dotted with hundreds of erupting volcanoes, making it the most volcanically active body in our solar system.
Io, also known as Jupiter I, is the innermost and largest moon of Jupiter.
It has a diameter of approximately 4,266 kilometers, making it the fourth-largest moon in the solar system.
Io is a volcanic world with over 400 active volcanoes, resulting from tidal heating caused by Jupiter's gravitational pull.
This process generates internal heat, leading to continuous volcanic activity and surface resurfacing.
The high-resolution images captured by NASA‘s Juno spacecraft have revealed a fascinating aspect of Io‘s geology: dozens of lava lakes scattered across its surface. These lakes are significantly larger than their counterparts on Earth, measuring between 10 to 100 kilometers in diameter. This discovery provides valuable insights into the moon’s internal dynamics and the movement of magma beneath its surface.
Lava lakes are shallow pools of molten lava that form in volcanic calderas or craters.
They are typically found at shield volcanoes and can range in size from a few meters to several kilometers in diameter.
The temperature of the lava can reach up to 1,200°C (2,192°F), causing the surrounding rocks to melt and create a pool of molten rock.
Lava lakes are often characterized by their vibrant colors, ranging from deep reds to oranges and yellows, due to the presence of iron and magnesium oxides.
Io‘s volcanic activity is thought to have been present since its formation over 4.6 billion years ago. The intense gravitational pull of Jupiter and other nearby moons causes Io‘s interior to heat up, leading to the moon’s extreme volcanic behavior. According to Alessandro Mura, a planetary scientist at Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome, ‘This squeezing is heating the body.’
Using infrared images from the Juno spacecraft, Mura‘s team identified over 40 lava lakes on Io. Their research, published in the February issue of Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, shows that most of these lakes are hottest at their perimeters, suggesting that they are capped by a cooler crust of solidified lava.
The findings also shed light on how magma moves beneath Io‘s surface and feeds these lakes. The team notes that none of the analyzed lakes had a hot spot in the middle, indicating that magma does not simply upwell at a lake’s center. Instead, it is likely that multiple lava lakes are fed by a common magma reservoir.
This discovery opens up new avenues for research into Io‘s geology and volcanism. By studying these lava lakes, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the moon’s internal dynamics and the processes that drive its extreme volcanic activity. As Mura notes, ‘These can be a glimpse beneath the surface of Io.’
- sciencenews.org | Juno reveals dozens of lava lakes on Jupiter’s moon Io
