Essentially the most violent volcanic cataclysm ever seen in our photo voltaic system has been witnessed on Jupiter’s moon Io by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, with simultaneous eruptions protecting an unlimited 40,400 sq. miles (65,000 sq. kilometers). The synchronous eruptions level to a hitherto undetected community of interconnected magma reservoirs simply beneath the volcanic moon’s lava-encrusted floor.
The eruptions launched an quantity of power estimated to be between 140 and 260 terawatts (one terawatt is a trillion watts). The earlier most energetic volcanic eruption seen on Io was about 80 terawatts, from a volcano referred to as Surt in 2001. For comparability, the Mount St Helens eruption in Washington state in 1980 had an influence of 52 terawatts.
The volcanic occasion befell on Dec. 27, 2024, coinciding with considered one of Juno’s shut fly-bys of Io, when the spacecraft was 46,200 miles (74,400 kilometers) above the moon’s charred floor. Io, which has a diameter of two,263 miles (3,643 km), harbors roughly 400 energetic volcanoes scattered throughout its floor, and their frequent eruptions are pushed by the vice-like grip of gravitational tidal forces emanating from Jupiter that squeeze and flex Io’s inside, producing greater than sufficient warmth to maintain its mantle molten.
What’s most intriguing about this explicit volcanic occasion is the best way that a number of volcanoes all lit up on the similar time, implying that they’re linked by huge swimming pools of magma that gasoline a number of eruptions without delay. Mura’s analysis staff means that the sub-surface and mantle of Io could also be like a sponge, within the sense that it’s crammed with pores crammed with magma. Apparently, not all of the recognized volcanoes within the area erupted, suggesting that those who didn’t erupt weren’t linked to this explicit magma community, however could also be linked to others as an alternative.
The volcanic outburst was detected by Juno’s JIRAM (Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper) instrument, for which Mura is the principal investigator. JIRAM had been designed to probe thermal emissions in Jupiter’s environment and search for aurorae, however JIRAM’s infrared prowess additionally makes it appropriate for recognizing volcanic hotspots on Io.
As a part of Juno’s prolonged mission, the spacecraft is making shut encounters of Jupiter’s giant Galilean moons after having spent most of its mission away from them. Throughout future fly-bys of Io, Juno will survey the moon’s floor searching for new lava flows and ash deposits ensuing from this spectacular volcanic eruption.
The findings are described in a paper revealed on Jan. 10 in Journal of Geophysical Analysis: Planets.
