Jupiter’s moon, Io, is probably the most volcanic physique within the Photo voltaic System. NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been getting nearer and nearer to Io within the final couple of years, giving us our first close-up photographs of the moon in 25 years.
Latest JunoCam photographs present a brand new volcano that appeared someday after the Galileo spacecraft visited the area.
The brand new volcano is simply south of Io’s equator. Since tidal heating from Jupiter causes Io’s volcanic exercise, most volcanoes are within the moon’s equatorial area, inside about 30 levels north and south of the equator. When NASA’s Galileo spacecraft imaged the area the place the brand new volcano was noticed in 1997, the floor was featureless.
The brand new volcano is close to an present volcano known as Kanehekili. JunoCam’s picture from April 2024 revealed a number of lava flows and volcanic deposits overlaying an space of about 180 kilometres by 180 kilometres.
“Our current JunoCam photographs present many adjustments on Io, together with this massive, difficult volcanic function that seems to have fashioned from nothing since 1997,” stated Michael Ravine. Ravine is the Superior Initiatives Supervisor at Malin Area Science Techniques, the corporate that constructed and operates JunoCam for NASA’s Juno mission.
After all, the volcano didn’t kind from nothing. Io is in a troublesome spot orbitally. Tidal friction from large Jupiter, and a few from its fellow moon Europa, is dissipated as orbital and warmth power in Io. In its sibling ocean moons like Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, the warmth retains their subsurface oceans in liquid kind. However Io doesn’t have an ocean, so the warmth causes magma to effectively up and break by way of the floor as volcanoes. Io has over 400 energetic volcanoes, and the floor is roofed in sulphuric compounds from these eruptions, which give it its colors.
JunoCam’s greatest picture of the area and the brand new volcano was taken on February third, 2024, from a distance of about 2,530 km. The size is about 1.7 km per pixel. On this picture, Io is illuminated with daylight mirrored off of Jupiter.
There are unanswered questions on Io, its volcanism, and its inside composition. Scientists know that tidal heating from Jupiter is the moon’s main warmth supply, however they aren’t sure how the warmth is distributed inside. They’re additionally unsure concerning the extent of Io’s magma ocean.
Additionally they need to know what initiates eruptions and what drives the various kinds of eruptions, like plumes, lava flows, and pyroclastic flows. There are unanswered questions on Io’s volcanic historical past and the way typically the floor is reshaped. There aren’t any impression craters on Io, which suggests the floor have to be younger.
Researchers are additionally eager to know how the gases from eruptions would possibly have an effect on the floor and the moon’s extraordinarily skinny ambiance. Io’s volcanic exercise has probably modified over time, and the way that occurs and what drives it are additionally unknown.
Solutions to those questions is not going to solely assist us perceive Io, however different rocky planets as effectively.
Juno’s discovery of a brand new volcano on Io is attention-grabbing, and its observations are a precious contribution to the physique of data. Nevertheless, Juno received’t present the in-depth solutions scientists search. It has a number of extra flybys of Io sooner or later, with the final one in 2025. Sadly, it’ll be getting farther from the moon, and the final one will probably be at a distance of 94,000 km.
These photographs do spotlight an essential a part of the Juno mission, although. The JunoCam isn’t a scientific instrument, strictly talking. It was included for the remainder of us, and the photographs are freely out there for anybody to work on and put up.
By recognizing the brand new volcano, JunoCam has confirmed its scientific worth.
