PREVIEW

Scientists from NASA's Juno mission have unveiled remarkable findings from recent flybys of Jupiter's moon, Io, transforming data into captivating animations showcasing the moon's dynamic features. Among the discoveries are a towering mountain and a remarkably smooth lake of cooling lava.
The groundbreaking revelations were shared by Juno's principal investigator, Scott Bolton, during a news conference at the European Geophysical Union General Assembly in Vienna on Wednesday, 16 April 2024.
Juno conducted close flybys of Io in December 2023 and February 2024, coming within approximately 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of the moon's surface, capturing unprecedented close-up images of its northern latitudes.
"Io is simply littered with volcanoes, and we caught a few of them in action," Bolton remarked. "We also got some great close-ups and other data on a 200-kilometer-long lava lake called Loki Patera. There is amazing detail showing these crazy islands embedded in the middle of a potentially magma lake rimmed with hot lava. The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io’s surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth."
Utilising data collected by Juno's Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument, scientists generated maps revealing Io's relatively smooth surface compared to Jupiter's other moons. Additionally, the data indicated that Io's poles are colder than its middle latitudes.
Moreover, Juno's extended mission allows it to fly closer to Jupiter's north pole with each pass, enabling improved resolution of the planet's northern polar cyclones. The varying microwave signatures of these cyclones provide insights into their subsurface structures.
Furthermore, Juno's investigation into Jupiter's water abundance, a primary science goal, involves quantifying the presence of oxygen and hydrogen molecules in the planet's atmosphere. This data is crucial for understanding the solar system's formation.
Through these groundbreaking discoveries, Juno continues to unravel the mysteries of Jupiter and its moons, shedding light on the complex dynamics of our solar system.