An ocean of magma sloshes beneath the crust of Jupiter's moon Io, and that is why active volcanoes erupt all over its surface, a new study suggests. The ocean is located 30 to 50 kilometres below ...

Because Io is so close to its massive host planet, the moon is subjected to a tremendous gravitational pull as it orbits Jupiter once about every 42 hours, according to the Planetary Society.

Since the late 1970s, scientists have believed that Io could have an ocean of lava hidden beneath its surface, causing much of the Jovian moon’s surface-level volcanic activity.

For Io, measurements of gravitational changes during orbit around Jupiter suggested the moon is unlikely to possess a global magma ocean, contradicting earlier theories.

Jupiter's volcanic moon Io doesn't appear to have a subsurface ocean of magma, resolving some issues about how Io's volcanoes erupt and raising broader questions about similar magma oceans within ...

But the moon’s wild volcanic activity wasn’t detected until Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter and its moons in 1979, revealing Io’s dynamic surface that resembled a pepperoni pizza, Bolton said.

Juno reveals 'smooth as glass' lava lake on Jupiter's moon, Io Scott SutherlandMeteorologist, Science Writer Published on Apr. 25, 2024, 8:05 AM ...

After making the closest Io flyby of any spacecraft in more than 20 years, NASA's Juno probe returned amazingly detailed imagery that will help scientists discover the source of the small moon's ...

Jupiter's volcanic moon Io as captured by the Juno spacecraft on Oct. 15, 2023. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Image processing by Ted Stryk On Dec. 27, 2024, NASA's Juno spacecraft ...

No moon in our solar system is likely as chaotic as Io, Jupiter’s third largest. The rocky body looks like a pepperoni pizza because of the constant, numerous eruptions on its surface. The ...