May 31 1979
From The Space Library
Photographs of Jupiter's moon Io taken by Voyager 1 had revealed a strange "blue snow," identified as volcanic gases released by continuous eruptions in the equatorial region, the New York Times reported. Dr. Laurence A. Soderblom of the U.S. Geological Survey told the American Geophysical Union spring meeting in Washington, D.C., that wisps of the gas appeared in Io's south polar area along faults or fractures in the crust; this was the first finding of erupting volcanoes anywhere except on Earth, and the intense volcanic activity was "endlessly repaving [Io's] surface with volcanic material." Dr. Edward C. Stone of the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), chief Voyager mission scientist, said that a change in the Voyager 2 plan would include time-lapse photography of Io to pinpoint the nature of the volcanic activity. Dr. John C. Pearl of GSFC said Voyager 1's infrared detectors showed that the main constituent of the gases was sulfur dioxide, also found in Earth's volcanic eruptions. Dr. Norman F. Ness, also of GSFC, said Jupiter's magnetic field extended far beyond Io's orbit, creating a "big power station in the sky." (NY Times, May 31/79, B-16)
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