Scientists have debunked the notion that Jupiter's moon, Io, houses an ocean of lava.
Jupiter's innermost moon, Io, which is known for its volcanic activity, might not possess a widespread sea of magma beneath its surface, contrary to previous beliefs.
Covered with countless volcanoes, some powerful enough to be captured by Earth-based telescopes, Io is an active volcanic site in our solar system.
Juno's Exploration of Jupiter
A study published in Nature today draws data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, which has been circling Jupiter and approaching its moons since 2016.
In December 2023 and February 2024, Juno managed to snap images of Io from a distance as close as 930 miles. This is the closest a spacecraft has gotten to Io in the last two decades, since NASA's Galileo spacecraft orbited Jupiter. The images were captured by JunoCAM, the spacecraft's two-megapixel camera.
Global Magma Ocean Debate
The purpose of these new images and experiments was to determine whether the magma exists in isolated pockets or extends throughout Io.
The findings suggest that Io's volcanic activity is unlikely to be driven by a global magma ocean, based on calculations of Io's tidal heating by Jupiter.
Tidal Heating
Io's unique location makes it ideal for studying tidal heating. It is constantly caught in a tug-of-war with Jupiter and Jupiter's three other large moons, while its elliptical orbit results in varying gravitational pull from Jupiter.
Io's relentless stretching and compression as it orbits every 42 days causes deformation and thermal tidal heating that generates enough friction to generate magma.
Solid Mantle
However, the amount of tidal energy is not sufficient to cause melting in Io's interior, implying the existence of primarily a solid mantle, as stated by the study's authors. "Tidal heating alone seems unable to support the development of a subsurface magma ocean on Io," reads the paper. These findings could alter the perspective of planetary scientists regarding other moons like Europa at Jupiter, Enceladus at Saturn, and the five largest moons of Uranus. "Though it's widely assumed among the exoplanet community that intense tidal heating may lead to magma oceans, the case of Io shows that this isn't always the case."
Wishing you a clear view and a curious mind.
The solar system's active volcanic site, Io, which is a Jupiter moon, is covered in volcanoes powerful enough to be seen from Earth. Despite its volcanic activity, recent studies suggest that Io might not have a widespread sea of magma beneath its surface, contradicting previous beliefs. Io's unique location and constant tug-of-war with Jupiter and its other large moons, along with its elliptical orbit, result in tidal heating that generates friction, implying the existence of a primarily solid mantle in Io.
