The volcanic moon of Jupiter, Io, is predicted to encounter a volcano eruption pretty much any day now. The giant volcano on Io has been observed for decades, and the results unveiled a regular cycle in the volcano’s bursts. According to prior activity, scientists predict the volcano could erupt any day now.
That probable eruption, or the lack of it, could help the scientists understand the volcano Io, which is the most active in the Solar System.
The enormous volcano, known as Loki, was initially identified to have a circuit of approximately 540 days. This was the result of years of observations between years 1988 and 2000, detailed in a study published in 2002 and led by physicist and planetary scientist Julie Rathbun from the Planetary Science Institute.
When the burst starts, Loki would light up, and remain this way for about 230 days before getting darker again. The cycle would then repeat, occurring like clockwork until back in 2001 when the volcano suddenly stopped lighting up and darkening.
Giant Volcano On Io Might Erupt Soon
Thirteen years later, in 2013, Loki started bright up again, but its cycle changed in a shorter one: 475 days, instead of 540. The behavior stayed the same ever since.
Rathbun explained that if the behavior stays the same, Loki should burst in September 2019. Rathbun and her research team depicted Loki as a lake of lava in a depression resembling a crater, which is called a ‘patera,’ approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) wide. The pool subverts, flooded by lava as the cooling layer on the surface of the lake becomes gravitationally erratic.
The cause of the interruption in the cycle between 2001 and 2013 is unknown, but a probable explanation could involve changes in the unstable content of the lava, which impacts the density of both magma and crust. Even the smallest change can lead to considerable variations in the process of the crust sinking.
The last burst started between May the 23rd and June the 6th last year. This means the 475-day breach is between September the 9th and the 24th and it may have already begun.
Doris’s passion for writing started to take shape in college where she was editor-in-chief of the college newspaper. Even though she ended up working in IT for more than 7 years, she’s now back to what he always enjoyed doing. With a true passion for technology, Doris mostly covers tech-related topics.