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The Juno mission has unveiled a colossal volcanic hotspot on Io, the most volcanic moon in our solar system. This searing feature spans 40,000 square miles (100,000 km²), dwarfing Earth’s Lake Superior and releasing energy equivalent to all of humanity’s power plants combined. Discovered by NASA’s Juno spacecraft through its infrared mapper (JIRAM), the hotspot emerged during a close flyby on Dec. 27, 2024, after earlier encounters in December 2023.
Io’s volcanic activity stems from its intense proximity to Jupiter, causing extreme gravitational heating that melts its interior and drives lava flows. The latest hotspot, detected with JIRAM, is thought to involve multiple subsurface magma chambers, emitting intense infrared radiation. Earth-based cameras may offer future insights into this region as well.
This eruption could deepen our understanding of Io’s volcanism, potentially aiding studies on other worlds. For now, Earth-based observers might capture images during future missions. The discovery pushes the boundaries of what we know about Io and planetary geology, highlighting its dynamic and active nature.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-01-juno-mission-powerful-volcanic-io.html