Discovery of Seven Volcanic Outbursts on Io from an Infrared Telescope Facility Observation Campaign, 2016-2022
Abstract
This study analyzes near-infrared measurements of Io, Jupiter's moon, observed over 170 nights from 2016 to early 2022 using the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). During this period, seven new volcanic outbursts-the most energetic volcanic events on Io-were discovered and characterized, increasing the total number of observed outburst events from 18 to 25. We also present simplified criteria for the thermal detection of an outburst, requiring it to be both confined to a specific location of Io and above a threshold intensity in the Lp band (3.8 μm).
- Publication:
-
The Planetary Science Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 2023
- DOI:
- 10.3847/PSJ/acf57e
- Bibcode:
- 2023PSJ.....4..189T
- Keywords:
-
- Volcanoes;
- Lithosphere;
- Infrared Astronomical Satellite;
- Infrared observatories;
- Infrared dark clouds;
- Io;
- 1780;
- 928;
- 785;
- 791;
- 787;
- 2190
