A naukri.com initiative
Brighter Side of News
1w
58
Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
NASA’s Juno mission solves Io’s 44-year-old volcano mystery
- Io, a Jupiter’s Galilean moon is characterized by intense volcanic activity, driven by unique internal dynamics. Io's volcanic nature was first discovered in 1979, beyond Earth, for the first time, by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft. Recent insights from Juno’s close flybys are helping scientists understand Io’s interior, including its internal dynamics, magma's movement in its interior, and its unique mechanism of volcanic activity. The measurements reveal that each volcano is powered by its own localized chamber of molten rock, suggesting that magma is concentrated in isolated chambers beneath individual volcanoes rather than spread across a global ocean.
- Io dissipates a power output far greater than all of Earth’s geologic activity combined and has an estimated 400 active volcanoes, continually spewing molten rock and gas. Understanding the variability in tidal heating outcomes can help refine models of other celestial bodies such as Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa, and even distant exoplanets. By studying how tidal heating generates magma reservoirs rather than oceans, scientists gain a deeper understanding of planetary formation and geologic processes.
- Juno’s measurements revealed a tidal response inconsistent with the prescence of an ocean that was proposed earlier based on earlier magnetic induction measurements from NASA's Galileo mission. These measurements suggested the presence of a near-surface layer about 50 kilometers thick with more than 20% melt. However, these results have been debated for decades, with some researchers questioning whether such a layer could exist. During its close encounters, Juno detected tidal deformations that align with a model of Io having a partially molten but mostly solid interior.
- Io's tidal response generates immense internal heat, enough to melt portions of its rocky interior, due to varying gravitational forces that stretch and compress the interior caused by the moon's elliptical orbit. The possibility of a global magma ocean had been proposed based on earlier magnetic induction measurements from NASA’s Galileo mission. By showing that tidal forces on Io produce localized magma reservoirs, Juno's findings challenge assumptions about similar processes on other celestial bodies.
- Juno's precision data provides a more comprehensive understanding of Io’s interior, with more profound insights into the mechanics of tidal heating and its implications for planetary evolution. The spacecraft will continue its exploration of Io and its study of Jupiter's system, with its next close approach scheduled for December 27, 2024, when it will pass just 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) above Jupiter’s cloud tops.
- Io’s fiery landscape and volcanic eruptions have become a subject of fascination and scientific inquiry. The discoveries on Io may serve as a template for exploring the internal dynamics of other worlds, both within our solar system and beyond, rewriting the narrative of how tidal forces shape celestial bodies.
Read Full Article
3 Likes
For uninterrupted reading, download the app