Mon 11 Jun 2007
Volcano in Space!
From NASA, regarding the space-mission to non-planet Pluto:
This five-frame sequence of New Horizons images captures the giant
plume from Io’s Tvashtar volcano. Snapped by the probe’s Long Range
Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) as the spacecraft flew past Jupiter
earlier this year, this first-ever “movie” of an Io plume clearly shows
motion in the cloud of volcanic debris, which extends 330 kilometers
(200 miles) above the moon’s surface. Only the upper part of the plume
is visible from this vantage point – the plume’s source is 130
kilometers (80 miles) below the edge of Io’s disk, on the far side of
the moon.The appearance and motion of
the plume is remarkably similar to an ornamental fountain on Earth,
replicated on a gigantic scale. The knots and filaments that allow us
to track the plume’s motion are still mysterious, but this movie is
likely to help scientists understand their origin, as well as provide
unique information on the plume dynamics.
VIA NEW HORIZONS











