Jupiter’s Moon Io Found with Lava Waves

Scientists have really contributed in education news by spotting two lava waves on Jupiter’s moon. They detected the two massive waves which were sweeping across the largest lava lake on the planet’s moon Io. Io is the most volcanically active body in our solar system.

Researchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley took advantage of the rare orbital alignment between the two moons of Jupiter. The two moons are Io and Europa. This helped them to gain an exceptionally detailed map of the largest lava lake on Io. It was discovered on 8^th March, 2015 that Europa passed in front of Io. Thus, Europa gradually blocked light from the volcanic moon.  Europa reflects very little sunlight at infrared wavelengths because its surface is coated in water ice. This allowed researchers to accurately isolate heat emerging from volcanoes on Io’s surface.

The surface temperature of Jupiter’s moon Io’s massive molten lake rapidly increased from one end to other. It was showed by infrared data and suggested that the lava split into two waves and each swept from west to east. It swept at about a kilometer per day.

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: Hindustan Times