On December 27, 2024, Juno's JIRAM infrared instrument detected an extraordinary volcanic event in Io's southern hemisphere, spanning approximately 65,000 km² near 73°S, 140°E. The estimated total power output ranges from 140 to 260 terawatts, potentially making it the most powerful eruption ever recorded—exceeding the 2001 Surt eruption, which peaked at around 80 TW. Previously, only one hot spot (Pfd454) was identified in this area, with an estimated size of 300 km² and an output of 34 GW. The new JIRAM data reveals that this region now exceeds earlier estimates by more than a factor of 1,000. Three nearby hot spots—P139, PV18, and an unnamed feature just south of the main one—also showed significant power increases, with the latter reaching roughly 1 TW, placing them among the top 10 most energetic hot spots ever seen on Io. Temperature data suggests these brightenings occurred simultaneously, pointing to a single, extensive subsurface eruption stretching hundreds of kilometers—something never before observed on Io. This simultaneity implies a subsurface connection between the magma reservoirs of these hotspots. Interestingly, other nearby active hotspots, such as Kurdalagon Patera, showed no change. The scale and coordination of this eruption support theories of vast, interconnected magma systems beneath Io's surface and should inform future models of its lithosphere and internal dynamics. Panel A: USGS map of the region of interest (Williams et al., 2011); Panel B: radiance map in the M band, from JIRAM, taken during orbit 66 (PJ 66; Oct. 22, 2024); Panel C: same, observed during orbit 68 (PJ 68; Dec. 27, 2024); Panel D: same, for L-band data. Location of some previously known hot spots are indicated by white crosses or white contours. M-band radiance is integrated in the M band (~4.5 to 5 µm), L-band radiance is integrated in the L band (~3.3 to 3.6 µm). The color scale is not linear to enhance the retails at low radiance; white is saturated. In PJ 66, only Kurdalagon P. shows a significant radiance, and P137 is barely visible at a similar radiance as in PJ 68. PV18 P., P139, the unnamed feature at 80°S, 120°E and Illyrikon A. are completely dark in PJ 66 but visible in PJ 68. The region that encompasses the locations that erupted simultaneously, as observed in PJ 68, is drawn in red....
Synchronized Eruptions on Io: Evidence of Interconnected Subsurface Magma Reservoirs / Mura, A.; Lopes, R.; Nimmo, F.; Bolton, S.; Ermakov, A.; Keane, J. T.; Tosi, F.; Zambon, F.; Sordini, R.; Radebaugh, J.; Rathbun, J.; Mckinnon, W.; Goossens, S.; Paris, M.; Mirino, M.; Piccioni, G.; Cicchetti, A.; Noschese, R.; Plainaki, C.; Sindoni, G.. - (2025). (Intervento presentato al convegno EPSC-DPS2025 tenutosi a HELSINKI) [10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1490].
Synchronized Eruptions on Io: Evidence of Interconnected Subsurface Magma Reservoirs
M. Paris;
2025
Abstract
On December 27, 2024, Juno's JIRAM infrared instrument detected an extraordinary volcanic event in Io's southern hemisphere, spanning approximately 65,000 km² near 73°S, 140°E. The estimated total power output ranges from 140 to 260 terawatts, potentially making it the most powerful eruption ever recorded—exceeding the 2001 Surt eruption, which peaked at around 80 TW. Previously, only one hot spot (Pfd454) was identified in this area, with an estimated size of 300 km² and an output of 34 GW. The new JIRAM data reveals that this region now exceeds earlier estimates by more than a factor of 1,000. Three nearby hot spots—P139, PV18, and an unnamed feature just south of the main one—also showed significant power increases, with the latter reaching roughly 1 TW, placing them among the top 10 most energetic hot spots ever seen on Io. Temperature data suggests these brightenings occurred simultaneously, pointing to a single, extensive subsurface eruption stretching hundreds of kilometers—something never before observed on Io. This simultaneity implies a subsurface connection between the magma reservoirs of these hotspots. Interestingly, other nearby active hotspots, such as Kurdalagon Patera, showed no change. The scale and coordination of this eruption support theories of vast, interconnected magma systems beneath Io's surface and should inform future models of its lithosphere and internal dynamics. Panel A: USGS map of the region of interest (Williams et al., 2011); Panel B: radiance map in the M band, from JIRAM, taken during orbit 66 (PJ 66; Oct. 22, 2024); Panel C: same, observed during orbit 68 (PJ 68; Dec. 27, 2024); Panel D: same, for L-band data. Location of some previously known hot spots are indicated by white crosses or white contours. M-band radiance is integrated in the M band (~4.5 to 5 µm), L-band radiance is integrated in the L band (~3.3 to 3.6 µm). The color scale is not linear to enhance the retails at low radiance; white is saturated. In PJ 66, only Kurdalagon P. shows a significant radiance, and P137 is barely visible at a similar radiance as in PJ 68. PV18 P., P139, the unnamed feature at 80°S, 120°E and Illyrikon A. are completely dark in PJ 66 but visible in PJ 68. The region that encompasses the locations that erupted simultaneously, as observed in PJ 68, is drawn in red....I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
