NEW IO PHOTOS SHOW VOLCANOES, MOUNTAINS.Byline: Usha Sutliff Staff WriterLA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - The photo album of Jupiter's fiery moon Io was expanded Monday when Jet Propulsion Laboratory “JPL” redirects here. For other uses, see JPL (disambiguation). Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a NASA research center located in the cities of Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, near Los Angeles, California, USA. scientists released color images detailing mountains and volcanoes. The images and other data sent back by NASA's Galileo spacecraft will be used to learn more about volcanoes here on Earth, said Duane Bindschadler, manager for science planning and operations for the Galileo mission. He said Io is a ``natural laboratory'' for volcanism volcanism or vulcanism Any of various processes and phenomena associated with the surface discharge of molten rock or hot water and steam, including volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles. . ``Part of why we study the volcanoes on Io is they're subject to different physical conditions than here on Earth and by studying both, we learn more about how volcanism works,'' Bindschadler said. Io is smaller than Earth's moon, has less gravity and a surface made up primarily of sulfur and sulfuric sul·fu·ric adj. Of, relating to, or containing sulfur, especially with valence 6. sulfuric Containing sulfur, especially sulfur with a valence of 6. Compare sulfurous. Adj. 1. compounds, Bindschadler said. He said one of the most interesting findings on Io is that the lava is much hotter than on Earth. The lava on Io can be as hot as 2,700 degrees compared with lava on Earth, which is 1,800 degrees at its hottest, Bindschadler said. Io is bombarded by intense radiation from Jupiter that can wreak wreak tr.v. wreaked, wreak·ing, wreaks 1. To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person. 2. To express or gratify (anger, malevolence, or resentment); vent. 3. havoc on a spacecraft. Each Io flyby fly·by also fly-by n. pl. fly·bys A flight passing close to a specified target or position, especially a maneuver in which a spacecraft or satellite passes sufficiently close to a body to make detailed observations without has kept Galileo team members on the edge of their seats. But Galileo has proved resilient, surviving more than twice the radiation it was designed to withstand, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. JPL (language) JPL - JAM Programming Language. . ``It's probably doing better than we should reasonably expect. I think part of it is that we build pretty good spacecraft here at JPL,'' Bindschadler said. The images released Monday were taken by Galileo late last year from distances of between 15,500 miles and 81,000 miles. Pictures of the closest-ever flyby Feb. 22, when the spacecraft dipped to 124 miles above the fiery surface, are expected to be released in coming weeks. JPL also released images of Europa, another of Jupiter's moons. The newly released pictures combined high-resolution black-and-white images of Io taken last October and November with lower-resolution color images taken last July. Bindschadler said combining the two helps scientists better understand the relationships between the different surface materials and underlying geologic structures. The images can be viewed at photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/new. More information about the Galileo mission is at galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: New images of the Jupiter moon Jupiter Moon was a science fiction television series first broadcast by BSB's Galaxy Channel from 26 March 1990 until December the same year. 150 episodes were commissioned, but only the first 108 were broadcast by BSB. Io were taken by Jet Propulsion Laboratory spacecraft Galileo, and show the best views to date of mountains and volcanoes on the moon's surface. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion