http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-research-reveals-fluctuating-atmosphere-of-jupiter-s-volcanic-moon
Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io has a thin atmosphere that collapses in the shadow of Jupiter, condensing as ice, according to a new study by
NASA-funded researchers. The study reveals the freezing effects of Jupiter’s shadow during daily eclipses on the moon’s volcanic gases.
“This research is the first time scientists have observed this remarkable phenomenon directly, improving our understanding of this
geologically active moon,” said Constantine Tsang, a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The study was
published Aug. 2 in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Io is the most volcanically active object in the solar system. The volcanoes are caused by tidal heating, the result of gravitational
forces from Jupiter and other moons. These forces result in geological activity, most notably volcanoes that emit umbrella-like plumes
of sulfur dioxide gas that can extend up to 300 miles (480 kilometers) above Io and produce extensive basaltic lava fields that can
flow for hundreds of miles.
