Io Volcano: Pele's Hot Lava
Explanation:
Glowing hot lava from the heart of Io's volcano Pele
is visible in
this false-color
infrared composite image.
It was recorded last month during the Galileo spacecraft's
close flyby of the
Jovian moon.
Pele is near the middle of the large 1,300 kilometer diameter
ring of yellowish
sulfurous material deposited by its frequent
volcanic plumes.
The dull dark red spot
on Pele itself corresponds to hot lava in
the volcano's eruptive center.
Temperatures up to 1,027 degrees
Celsius
(1,880 degrees Fahrenheit)
have been previously measured for the lava.
Galileo's close
October Io flyby has revealed that
the most volcanic body in the solar system is
even more active than previously suspected, with more than 100
erupting volcanos.
Yesterday, the spacecraft was
scheduled to perform an even closer
flyby of Io approaching to within 300 kilometers.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
