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Galileo SSI Observations of Volcanic Activity at Tvashtar Catena, IoIntroduction: We report on the analysis of the Galileo SSI's observations of the volcanic activity at Tvashtar Catena, Io as discussed by Milazzo et al. Galileo's Solid State Imager (SSI) observed Tvashtar Catena (63 deg N, 120 deg W) four times between November 1999 and October 2001, providing a unique look at the distinctive high latitude volcanism on Io. The November 1999 observation spatially resolved, for the first time, an active extraterrestrial fissure eruption. The brightness temperature of the lavas at the November 1999 fissure eruption was 1300 K. The second observation (orbit I27, February 2000) showed a large (approx. 500 sq km) region with many, small spots of hot, active lava. The third observation was taken in conjunction with a Cassini observation in December 2000 and showed a Pele-like plume deposition ring, while the Cassini images revealed a 400 km high Pele-type plume above the Catena. The final Galileo SSI observation of Tvashtar was acquired in October 2001, and all obvious (to SSI) activity had ceased, although data from Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) indicated that there was still significant thermal emission from the Tvashtar region. We have concentrated on analyzing the style of eruption during orbit I27 (February 2000). Comparison with a lava flow cooling model indicates that the behavior of the Tvashtar eruption during I27 does not match that of "simple" advancing lava flows. Instead, it may be an active lava lake or a complex set of lava flows with episodic, overlapping (in time and space) eruptions.
Document ID
20050174669
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Milazzo, M. P.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Keszthely, L. P.
(Geological Survey Flagstaff, AZ, United States)
Radebaugh, J.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Davies, A. G.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Turtle, E. P.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Geissler, P.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Klaasen, K. P.
(Geological Survey Flagstaff, AZ, United States)
McEwen, A. S.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2005
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 13
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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