Scientists Detect Giant Waves of Lava on Jupiter’s Moon Io

[ScienceRocks]

Scientists Detect Giant Waves of Lava on Jupiter’s Moon Io



https://www.extremet...upiters-moon-io

Jupiter’s moon Io would be a terrible place to visit, with active volcanoes and planes of sulfur-dioxide frost. Of course, that distinctive environment is also what makes it so interesting to study. A recent conjunction within the Jovian system provided astronomers with a unique opportunity to learn more about Io’s surface, and what they found sounds both hellish and fascinating — huge waves of lava are rolling across one of Io’s molten lakes.

Io is the fourth largest moon in the solar system, but it has the highest density thanks to its iron-sulfide core. It is the innermost Jovian moon, and its close proximity to the gas giant leads to incredible gravitational stress. The crust of Io flexes as it orbits Jupiter, leading to tidal heating that drives its volcanic activity. The surface of Io is so active that it has almost no cratering from impacts. There are numerous lakes on the surface of Io, including one of particular interest called Loki Patera that is larger than Lake Ontario (although, it’s filled with lava instead of water). Mysteriously, it gets substantially brighter in 400-600 day cycles, and now we might finally know why.

cool

 

[irosie91]

not cool-----where can an old lady like me go for a little vacation?