by neufer » Sun Mar 30, 2014 2:32 pm
geckzilla wrote:
I'd like to see what a fresh impact would kick up. How deep does this sulfur go? As it is, the only craters I see here are fiery calderas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_%28moon%29#Interior wrote:
<<Composed primarily of silicate rock and iron, Io is closer in bulk composition to the terrestrial planets than to other satellites in the outer Solar System, which are mostly composed of a mix of water ice and silicates. Io has a density of 3.53 g/cm
3, the highest of any moon in the Solar System; significantly higher than the other Galilean satellites and higher than the Moon (3.35 g/cm
3). Models based on the Voyager and Galileo measurements of Io's mass, radius, and quadrupole gravitational coefficients (numerical values related to how mass is distributed within an object) suggest that its interior is differentiated between a silicate-rich crust and mantle and an iron- or iron-sulfide-rich (e.g.,
fool's gold) core. Io's metallic core makes up approximately 20% of its mass. Depending on the amount of sulfur in the core, the core has a radius between 350 & 650 km if it is composed almost entirely of iron, or between 550 & 900 km for a core consisting of a mix of iron & sulfur (e.g.,
fool's gold). Galileo's magnetometer failed to detect an internal, intrinsic magnetic field at Io, suggesting that the core is not convecting.
Modeling of Io's interior composition suggests that the mantle is composed of at least 75% of the magnesium-rich mineral
forsterite similar to that of L-chondrite and LL-chondrite meteorites, with higher iron content than the Moon or Earth, but lower than Mars. Re-analysis of Galileo magnetometer data in 2009 revealed the presence of an induced magnetic field at Io, requiring
a magma ocean 50 km below the surface. It is estimated that the temperature in the magma ocean reaches 1,200 °C. The lithosphere of Io, composed of basalt and sulfur deposited by Io's extensive volcanism, is at least 12 km thick, but is likely to be less than 40 km thick.
Io's colorful appearance is the result of various volcanic materials. Sulfur dioxide frost is ubiquitous across the surface of Io, forming large regions covered in white or grey materials. Sulfur is also seen in many places across Io, forming
yellow to yellow-green regions.
Sulfur deposited in the mid-latitude and polar regions is often radiation damaged, breaking up normally stable cyclic 8-chain sulfur. This radiation damage produces Io's red-brown polar regions. Plume deposits on Io are often colored red or white depending on the amount of sulfur and sulfur dioxide in the plume.
Generally, plumes formed at volcanic vents from degassing lava contain a greater amount of S2, producing a red "fan" deposit, or in extreme cases, large red rings. These red deposits consist primarily of sulfur (generally 3- and 4-chain molecular sulfur), sulfur dioxide, and perhaps Cl2SO2. Plumes formed at the margins of silicate lava flows (through the interaction of lava and pre-existing deposits of sulfur and sulfur dioxide) produce white or gray deposits.
Compositional mapping and Io's high density suggest that Io contains little to no water, though small pockets of water ice or hydrated minerals have been tentatively identified, most notably on the northwest flank of the mountain Gish Bar Mons. This lack of water is likely due to Jupiter being hot enough early in the evolution of the Solar System to drive off volatile materials like water in the vicinity of Io, but not hot enough to do so farther out.>>
[quote="geckzilla"]
I'd like to see what a fresh impact would kick up. How deep does this sulfur go? As it is, the only craters I see here are fiery calderas.[/quote][quote=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_%28moon%29#Interior"]
[float=right][img3="[b][size=125][color=#0000FF]One model of the possible interior composition of Io with an inner iron or iron sulfide core (in gray), a partially molten silicate mantle (in orange) , and[/color] [color=#FF4000]a thin outer silicate crust (in brown)[/color][/size][/b]"]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/PIA01129_Interior_of_Io.jpg/640px-PIA01129_Interior_of_Io.jpg[/img3][/float]<<Composed primarily of silicate rock and iron, Io is closer in bulk composition to the terrestrial planets than to other satellites in the outer Solar System, which are mostly composed of a mix of water ice and silicates. Io has a density of 3.53 g/cm[sup]3[/sup], the highest of any moon in the Solar System; significantly higher than the other Galilean satellites and higher than the Moon (3.35 g/cm[sup]3[/sup]). Models based on the Voyager and Galileo measurements of Io's mass, radius, and quadrupole gravitational coefficients (numerical values related to how mass is distributed within an object) suggest that its interior is differentiated between a silicate-rich crust and mantle and an iron- or iron-sulfide-rich (e.g., [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite]fool's gold[/url]) core. Io's metallic core makes up approximately 20% of its mass. Depending on the amount of sulfur in the core, the core has a radius between 350 & 650 km if it is composed almost entirely of iron, or between 550 & 900 km for a core consisting of a mix of iron & sulfur (e.g., [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrite]fool's gold[/url]). Galileo's magnetometer failed to detect an internal, intrinsic magnetic field at Io, suggesting that the core is not convecting.
Modeling of Io's interior composition suggests that the mantle is composed of at least 75% of the magnesium-rich mineral [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsterite]forsterite[/url] similar to that of L-chondrite and LL-chondrite meteorites, with higher iron content than the Moon or Earth, but lower than Mars. Re-analysis of Galileo magnetometer data in 2009 revealed the presence of an induced magnetic field at Io, requiring [b][color=#0000FF]a magma ocean 50 km below the surface. It is estimated that the temperature in the magma ocean reaches 1,200 °C.[/color] [color=#FF4000]The lithosphere of Io, composed of basalt and sulfur deposited by Io's extensive volcanism, is [u]at least 12 km thick, but is likely to be less than 40 km thick[/u].[/color][/b]
[float=right][img3="[b][color=#0000FF]Io's colorful appearance is the result of various volcanic materials.[/color][/b]"]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Io_from_Galileo_and_Voyager_missions.jpg/800px-Io_from_Galileo_and_Voyager_missions.jpg[/img3][/float]Io's colorful appearance is the result of various volcanic materials. Sulfur dioxide frost is ubiquitous across the surface of Io, forming large regions covered in white or grey materials. Sulfur is also seen in many places across Io, forming [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheddar_cheese]yellow to yellow-green[/url] regions. [b][color=#FF4000]Sulfur deposited in the mid-latitude and polar regions is often radiation damaged, breaking up normally stable cyclic 8-chain sulfur. This radiation damage produces Io's red-brown polar regions.[/color][/b] Plume deposits on Io are often colored red or white depending on the amount of sulfur and sulfur dioxide in the plume. [b][color=#FF0000]Generally, plumes formed at volcanic vents from degassing lava contain [u]a greater amount of S[sub]2[/sub][/u], producing a red "fan" deposit, or in extreme cases, [u]large red rings[/u]. These red deposits consist primarily of sulfur (generally 3- and 4-chain molecular sulfur), sulfur dioxide, and perhaps Cl[sub]2[/sub]SO[sub]2[/sub].[/color][/b] Plumes formed at the margins of silicate lava flows (through the interaction of lava and pre-existing deposits of sulfur and sulfur dioxide) produce white or gray deposits.
Compositional mapping and Io's high density suggest that Io contains little to no water, though small pockets of water ice or hydrated minerals have been tentatively identified, most notably on the northwest flank of the mountain Gish Bar Mons. This lack of water is likely due to Jupiter being hot enough early in the evolution of the Solar System to drive off volatile materials like water in the vicinity of Io, but not hot enough to do so farther out.>>[/quote]