Juno captures Jupiter’s moon Io in an explosive dance. Its surface is covered with hundreds of volcanoes and changes very quickly. Scientists were excited by the observation of very strong and persistent eruptions. They are trying to unravel their cause. They believe that this type of explosion is caused by a certain rupture caused by the gravitational forces of the surrounding moons and Jupiter itself, but also by gases shot into space. Astrophysicist Jeff Morgenthaler likens Io to a ball of anger, he writes The New York Times.
According to scientists, Jupiter’s moon Io is constantly “stretched and compressed” by the gravitational forces of the planet itself and the other two large Jupiter moons Ganymede and Europa. These forces cause friction and heat deep inside the moon. This makes Io extremely volcanically active – there are hundreds of volcanoes and extensive networks of lava flows on it.
Last year, astrophysicist Morgenthaler, who studies the gases released into space by the moon Io, picked up signs that truly extraordinary eruptions are occurring – they are stronger and more persistent. It turns out that Io is certainly one of the most energetic and explosive bodies in the Solar System.
Current knowledge is also key for the further activities of the Juno space probe of the American space agency NASA. Juno has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016 and is scheduled to fly within just a few hundred miles of Jupiter’s moon this December.
But what is behind such strong eruptions full of energy. Because Io is far from the Sun and has a very thin atmosphere, its surface is coated with a frosty layer of sulfur compounds. Volcanic eruptions come in many forms and of varying intensity, and can reach temperatures of up to 1300 degrees Celsius. When intense heat meets extreme cold, sulfur dioxide and sodium molecules can be shot into space.
Some of the most explosive eruptions come from fissures in the surface, spewing fountains of lava. Behind the moon Io, the charged molecules create what we know as a “plasma torus” – a cloud of ionized gas that collects in Jupiter’s magnetic field.
Io and its eruptions can be observed with an infrared telescope. Currently, however, scientists are focusing more on the plasma torus. They hope to learn more about its composition and thus the nature of the explosion and its power.
Volcanic eruption on Io, the fourth-largest moon in the Solar System, captured by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft
With over 400 active volcanoes, it is the most volcanically active body in our solar system 🌋 pic.twitter.com/aNk2IEoRvw
— Spaceguy²⁴ (@spaceguy_24)
August 14, 2021
