NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Io's heat flow from infrared radiometry: 1983-1993We report the following results from a decade of infrared radiometry of Io: (1) The average global heat flow is more than approx. 2.5 W/sq.m, (2) large warm (less than or equal to 200 K) volcanic regions dominate the global heat flow, (3) smal high-temperature (greater than or = 300 K) 'hotspots' contribute little to the average heat flow, (4) thermal anomalies on the leading hemisphere contribute about half of the heat flow, (5) a substantial amount of heat is radiated during Io's night, (6) high-temperature (greater than or = 600 K) 'outbursts' occurred during approx. 4% of the nights we observed, (7) 'Loki' is the brightest, persistent, infrared emission feature, and (8) some excess emission is always present at the longitude of Loki, but its intensity and other characteristics change between apparitions. Observations of Io at M(4.8 micrometer), 8.7 micrometer, N(10 micrometer), and Q(20 micrometer) with the Infrared Telescope Facility presented here were collected during nine apparitions between 1983 and 1993. These measurements provide full longitudinal coveraged as well as an eclipse observation and the detection of two outbursts. Reflected sunlight, passive thermal emission, and radiation from thermal anomalies all contribute to the observed flux densities. We find that a new thermophysical model is required to match all the data. Two key elements of this model are (1) a 'thermal reservoir' unit which lowers daytime temperatures, and (2) the 'thermal pedestal effect' which shifts to shorter wavelengths the spectral emission due to the reradiation of solar energy absorbed by the thermal anomalies. The thermal anomalies are modeled with a total of 10 source components at five locations. Io's heat flow is the sum of the power from these components.
Document ID
19950047832
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Veeder, Glenn J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Matson, Dennis L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Johnson, Torrence V.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Blaney, Diana L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Goguen, Jay D.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
August 25, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 99
Issue: E8
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Astronomy
Accession Number
95A79431
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available