Researchers from Rome’s National Institute for Astrophysics recently shared their findings on Jupiter’s moon, Io, known for its intense volcanic activity. In a paper published last week, they discussed data collected by NASA’s Juno probe, which captured images of two lava plumes erupting on the surface of Io. The probe’s Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument provided valuable insights into the mysterious volcanic activity happening beneath the moon’s surface.
Alessandro Mura, a Juno co-investigator, explained that the JIRAM data revealed that lava lakes cover the entire surface of Io, contained within caldera-like features. This discovery sheds light on the unique geological landscape of Io, where around 3% of the surface is estimated to be covered by molten lava lakes. The JIRAM tool, developed by Italy’s space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, played a crucial role in capturing these images from approximately 2,400 miles away.
On Earth, a caldera is formed by the collapse of a volcano, and Io’s volcanic activity is considered to be the most common type of volcanism on Jupiter’s moon. The researchers highlighted the presence of enormous lakes of lava on Io, where magma moves up and down within the lake. The lava crust breaks against the lake’s walls, forming a distinctive lava ring similar to those seen in Hawaiian lava lakes, with walls likely hundreds of meters high, preventing magma from spilling out.
Further analysis of the data collected during Juno’s flybys of Io in February 2024 and December 2023 is ongoing. The researchers are working to unravel more mysteries surrounding Io’s volcanic landscape and the processes driving the moon’s dynamic geological activity. The images captured by Juno offer a glimpse into the complex and active world of Jupiter’s volcanic moon, providing valuable insights into the inner workings of the solar system’s most volcanically active body.