NASA Records Record-Breaking Volcanic Outburst on Jupiter Moon Io

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has provided new images giving us a clearer insight into Io’s unique nature. It is renowned as the most volcanically active world within our Solar System, boasting over 400 active volcanoes.

Juno has undertaken multiple flybys of Io, with its latest images revealing a massive hotspot near the moon’s south pole. Originally sent to study Jupiter, Juno’s mission was extended by NASA, with the spacecraft currently conducting flybys of three of Jupiter’s Galilean moons: Ganymede, Europa, and Io.

During the recent flyby, Juno’s JIRAM instrument captured images of a volcanic hotspot at Io’s south pole, surpassing even Lake Superior in size. The eruptions from this hotspot were measured to be six times more powerful than all of Earth’s power plants combined, emitting over 80 trillion watts of radiant energy.

“The data indicates that this is the most intense volcanic eruption ever recorded on Io.” – Alessandro Mura, Juno co-investigator, National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome

Juno’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton, expressed amazement at the data collected, highlighting that this event showcases the most powerful volcanic activity on the most volcanically active world in our solar system.

Io’s volcanic activity is a result of tidal heating caused by its proximity to Jupiter. This phenomenon leads to the moon’s surface being constantly reshaped by molten rock, creating a dynamic and ever-changing landscape.

Juno’s upcoming flyby on March 3rd aims to further study the hotspot and any surface alterations. The long-term evolution of Io’s volcanism is a subject of ongoing research, shedding light not only on Io but also on volcanic processes on other celestial bodies.

Original article: Juno Sees a Massive Hotspot of Volcanic Activity on Io