Abstract
AbstractIo, the most volcanically active body in the solar system, loses heat through eruptions of hot lava. Heat is supplied by tidal dissipation and is thought to be transferred through the mantle by magmatic segregation, a mode of transport that sets it apart from convecting terrestrial planets. We present a model that couples magmatic transport of tidal heat to the volcanic system in the crust, in order to determine the controls on crustal thickness, magmatic intrusions, and eruption rates. We demonstrate that magmatic intrusions are a key component of Io's crustal heat balance; around 80% of the magma delivered to the base of the crust must be emplaced and frozen as plutons to match rough estimates of crustal thickness. As magma ascends from a partially molten mantle into the crust, a decompacting boundary layer forms, which can explain possible observations of a high‐melt‐fraction region.
Highlights
Jupiter's moon Io is tidally heated by eccentricity forcing from its mean motion resonance with Europa and Ganymede (Lainey et al, 2009), resulting in extensive surface volcanism
We present a model that couples magmatic transport of tidal heat to the volcanic system in the crust, in order to determine the controls on crustal thickness, magmatic intrusions, and eruption rates
We demonstrate that magmatic intrusions are a key component of Io's crustal heat balance; around 80% of the magma delivered to the base of the crust must be emplaced and frozen as plutons to match rough estimates of crustal thickness
Summary
Jupiter's moon Io is tidally heated by eccentricity forcing from its mean motion resonance with Europa and Ganymede (Lainey et al, 2009), resulting in extensive surface volcanism. This volcanism has led to significant interest in understanding Io's internal structure and energy balance. The surface is crater free with globally distributed, low-relief volcanoes, implying relatively uniform global resurfacing. These observations imply that Io's leading-order structure is spherically symmetric and roughly steady state. An understanding of this leading-order structure must serve as the foundation for investigations into spatial heterogeneity and temporal evolution
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