In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers using NASA’s Juno spacecraft have identified a volcanic hotspot on Jupiter’s moon Io that generates more energy than all of Earth’s power plants. This searing feature spans an area larger than Earth’s Lake Superior, which covers over 82,103 square kilometers. The findings were made possible by the latest close flybys of Io during Juno’s extended mission.
Io, a moon about as big as Earth’s Moon, is in a tight orbit around Jupiter. Its eccentric path brings it closer to the gas giant every 42.5 hours, creating intense gravitational tugs that compress the moon and fuel its volcanic activity. This constant squeezing generates immense energy through frictional heating, leading to lava plumes and ash releases into Io’s atmosphere.
The latest observations from Juno revealed a massive infrared radiance in Io’s Southern Hemisphere, suggesting a strong volcanic hot spot. However, preliminary evidence suggests this is likely multiple closely spaced hot spots within a vast magma chamber system beneath the surface.
Juno plans to use its upcoming March 3 flyby to assess changes in the hotspot and further investigate Io’s geothermal activity. This discovery not only highlights the extreme power of Io’s volcanic processes but also underscores the potential for future missions to explore Jupiter’s moons and their dynamic environments.
Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/most-powerful-volcanic-activity-jupiter-moon-io-juno-mission-2671900-2025-01-29