Io: Are vapor explosions responsible for the 5-μm outbursts?
Abstract
It is proposed that a vapor explosion of a submerged pool of liquid sulfur will remove the crust overlying an area of ∼50-km diameter. Thermal radiation from the exposed liquid sulfur pool with a surface temperature of 600 K is then presumed to be responsible for the 5-μm outbursts that have been observed. The explosive volcanoes are expected to leave black sulfur calderas, which are, indeed, found on the surface. The 5-μm outburst observed by W. M. Sinton (1980), Astrophys. J.235, L49-L51) on June 11, 1979 (UT), is identified with a new caldera found on Voyager 2 photographs but which had not been present on Voyager 1 pictures.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- July 1980
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0019-1035(80)90087-1
- Bibcode:
- 1980Icar...43...56S
- Keywords:
-
- Explosions;
- Io;
- Planetary Surfaces;
- Sulfur;
- Calderas;
- Crustal Fractures;
- Volcanoes;
- Voyager Project;
- JUPITER;
- SATELLITES;
- IO;
- EXPLOSIONS;
- VAPOR;
- SULFUR;
- PRESSURE;
- VOLUME;
- ENERGY;
- CRATERS;
- DIAMETER;
- DENSITY;
- HYPOTHESES;
- TEMPERATURES;
- MODELS;
- CALDERAS