January 16, 2025
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently uncovered the factors behind the immense volcanic activity on Jupiter’s moon, lo. Based on information gathered by the agency’s Juno mission, it has been found that the volcanic activity on lo could be triggered by tidal flexing, a mechanism that gives rise to a huge amount of heat within the celestial body. This process causes sections within lo to melt. Thus, the study shows that lo’s volcanoes are fuelled by distinct magma chambers that result from the melting of lo’s internal parts and not by a magma ocean located under its surface, as believed earlier.
DID YOU KNOW?
Io comprises numerous volcanoes and is the Solar System’s most volcanically active celestial body.
Image Source: nasa.gov
