NASA’s Juno spacecraft has discovered a massive volcanic hot spot on Jupiter’s moon Io, which is larger than Lake Superior. The volcano is so powerful that its eruptions release six times the total energy of all the world’s power plants combined.
Juno’s flybys of Io have provided unprecedented insights into the moon’s surface, revealing features not visible to the human eye. The Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument used during these flybys detects infrared light, allowing scientists to study volcanic activity on Io.
Io’s unique orbit around Jupiter creates a gravitational tug of war that causes frictional heating, melting parts of its interior and resulting in lava plumes and ash venting into the atmosphere. Scientists estimate that there could be 400 volcanoes on Io’s surface, making it the most volcanic body in our Solar System.
The recent discovery is believed to be one of the most intense volcanic eruptions ever recorded on Io. The volcano spans over 40,000 square miles (100,000 km), with a radiance power value exceeding 80 trillion watts. This massive eruption is likely to leave enduring scars on Io’s surface, potentially creating features such as pyroclastic deposits and lava flows.
A future flyby of Juno on March 3, 2025, will provide further insights into the volcano’s behavior and record any changes in the landscape. The discovery is expected to improve our understanding of volcanism not only on Io but also on other worlds in our Solar System.
Source: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/volcano-hot-spot-jupiter-moon-io-larger-than-lake-superior