NASA’s Juno spacecraft has made groundbreaking discoveries about Jupiter and its volcanic moon, Io. The latest findings reveal warm lava flows beneath Io’s crust, evidence of still-warm magma that hasn’t solidified below the surface, and a model of the fast-moving jet stream surrounding Jupiter’s north pole.
Juno detected warm lava flows on Io during a December 27, 2024, flyby, which suggests about 10% of the moon’s surface has remnants of slowly cooling lava just below the surface. This could provide insight into how Io renews its surface quickly and how heat moves from its deep interior to the surface.
The spacecraft also measured Jupiter’s polar temperatures, revealing the north polar stratospheric cap is about 11 degrees Celsius cooler than its surroundings. Radio occultation experiments showed winds exceeding 100 mph (161 kph) in this region.
Juno observed the long-term movement of Jupiter’s massive northern polar cyclone and the eight surrounding cyclones, which cluster together while approaching the pole. The interaction between these forces causes the cyclones to “bounce” off each other, stabilizing their configuration and causing them to oscillate around their central positions.
The new discoveries demonstrate Juno’s ability to provide unprecedented insight into Jupiter’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and deep internal structure. As the spacecraft continues its perilous yet rewarding journey through the strongest planetary radiation belts in the solar system, it will continue to uncover secrets about our gas giant neighbor.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-juno-exposes-sizzling-lava-lakes-beneath-io-and-cyclonic-chaos-on-jupiter