A 2020 Observational Perspective of Io

Abstract

Jupiter's Galilean satellite Io is one of the most remarkable objects in our Solar System. The tidal heating Io undergoes through its orbital resonance with Europa and Ganymede has resulted in a body rich in active silicate volcanism. Over the past decades, Io has been observed from ground-based and Earth-orbiting telescopes and by several spacecraft. In this review we summarize the progress made toward our understanding of the physical and chemical processes related to Io and its environment since the Galileo era. Io science has been revolutionized by the use of adaptive optics techniques on large, 8- to 10-m telescopes. The resultant ever-increasing database, mapping the size, style, and spatial distribution of Io's diverse volcanoes, has improved our understanding of Io's interior structure, its likely composition, and the tidal heating process. Additionally, new observations of Io's atmosphere obtained with these large optical/infrared telescopes and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array reveal the presence of volcanic plumes, the (at times) near-collapse of Io's atmosphere during eclipse, and the interactions of plumes with the sublimation atmosphere. ▪  Extensive new data sets of Io at ultraviolet, mid- to near-infrared, and radio wavelengths have been gathered since the Galileo era. ▪  New data and models inform us about tidal heating, surface properties, and magma composition across Io—although key questions remain. ▪  Atmospheric observations indicate a dominant sublimation-supported component and reinforce the presence of stealth volcanism. ▪  Observations of volcanic plumes show high gas velocities (up to ∼1 km/s) and their effect on Io's atmosphere.