NASA's Juno probe detects record-breaking volcanic activity on Jupiter’s moon

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has made a groundbreaking discovery on Jupiter’s moon Io, detecting a massive volcanic hot spot in its southern hemisphere. This hot spot, larger than North America’s Lake Superior, emits a staggering 80 trillion watts of energy—six times the total power output of all Earth’s power plants. This marks the most intense volcanic event ever recorded on Io, reinforcing its status as the most geologically active body in the solar system.

Unprecedented Energy Emissions

The discovery was made using Juno’s Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM), which detected an extreme level of infrared radiance. According to Alessandro Mura from the National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome, the intensity of the eruption was so powerful that it saturated the probe’s detector.

Juno’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute, emphasized the significance of this find. Two recent close flybys of Io provided critical data, but the latest, more distant flyby revealed volcanic activity beyond expectations.

Juno's Mission and Continued Exploration

Launched on August 5, 2011, Juno reached Jupiter on July 4, 2016, and has been orbiting the gas giant ever since. Originally planned for a 53-day polar orbit mission, Juno has entered its extended phase, continuing to study Jupiter and its moons until at least September 2025, or until the probe reaches the end of its operational lifespan.

This latest discovery adds to our understanding of Io’s extreme volcanic nature and provides valuable insights into the dynamic forces shaping the solar system’s most active moon.