By examining the extreme environment of Jupiter’s moon Io, known as the most volcanically active place in our solar system, astronomers at Cornell University have gained insights into a key process in the formation and development of planets: tidal heating.
“Tidal heating is crucial for the thermal and orbital evolution of celestial bodies,” explained Alex Hayes, an astronomy professor. “It delivers the necessary heat to create and maintain subsurface oceans on moons orbiting gigantic planets like Jupiter and Saturn.”
“Exploring the harsh terrain of Io’s volcanoes actually drives scientific inquiries into the possibility of life,” stated Madeline Pettine, the lead author and a PhD student in astronomy.
Through investigating data collected by NASA’s Juno spacecraft during its flybys, the astronomers discovered that Io has active volcanoes at its poles that may play a role in managing tidal heating, which generates friction within its molten interior.
This study was published in Geophysical Research Letters.
“Jupiter’s gravitational pull is exceedingly strong,” Pettine noted. “With the gravitational influence of the planet’s other moons, Io experiences continuous stretching and compressing. This tidal distortion generates significant internal heat within the moon.”
Pettine was surprised to find a noteworthy number of active volcanoes located at Io’s poles, rather than in the more typical equatorial areas. According to her, the subsurface liquid water oceans in icy moons may remain in liquid form due to tidal heating.
To the north, a group of four volcanoes known as Asis, Zal, Tonatiuh, one unnamed, and an independent volcano called Loki displayed high levels of activity and have been observed through numerous space missions and ground-based studies. The southern volcanoes, Kanehekili, Uta, and Laki-Oi, also showed strong activity.
The long-lived set of northern volcanoes brightened at the same time and appeared to influence each other. “They all brightened and then dimmed in a similar manner,” Pettine remarked. “It’s fascinating to observe how these volcanoes interact.”
This research received funding from NASA’s New Frontiers Data Analysis Program as well as the New York Space Grant.
