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Juno discovers massive lava lake on Io

NASA’s Juno spacecraft recently made two close flybys of Jupiter’s moon Io, coming within 1,500 km (930 miles) of its surface. These flybys provided scientists with new and detailed information about the moon’s volcanic activity, making Io the most volcanic object in the Solar System. One of the most fascinating discoveries was the visual animation created from Juno’s data, showcasing Io’s 200-km-long lava lake Loki Patera. The animation depicts islands within the magma lake, surrounded by hot lava that gives the lake’s surface a smooth, glass-like appearance.

During a news conference at the European Geophysical Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, Juno principal investigator Scott Bolton expressed his excitement about the images captured by the spacecraft. He described the intricate details of the volcanic features on Io, highlighting the specular reflection observed on the lake’s surface, similar to volcanic glass formations on Earth.

This animation is an artist’s concept of Loki Patera, a lava lake on Jupiter’s moon Io, made using data from the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft. With multiple islands in its interior, Loki is a depression filled with magma and rimmed with molten lava. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

The images captured by Juno during the flybys in December 2023 and February 2024 revealed the northern latitudes of Io in unprecedented detail. The moon’s surface, resembling a colorful pizza from previous observations, showcased an array of volcanic features such as vents, calderas, lava flows, and volcanic plumes in various hues.

JNCE 2024034 58C00025 V01.point — Io’s sub-Jovian hemisphere is revealed in detail for the first time since Voyager 1 flew through the Jupiter system in March 1979, during the Juno spacecraft’s 58th perijove, or close pass, on February 3, 2024. This image shows Io’s nightside illuminated by sunlight reflected off Jupiter’s cloud tops. Several surface changes are visible include a reshaping of the compound flow field at Kanehekili (center left) and a new lava flow to the east of Kanehekili. This image has a pixel scale of 1.6 km/pixel. Credit : NASA/SwRI/JPL/MSSS/Jason Perry.

One of the standout features captured by Juno’s instruments was a spired mountain on Io called “The Steeple,” standing tall at heights between 5 and 7 kilometers. The origin of such a unique landform, created by volcanic activity, continues to puzzle scientists.

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Created using data collected by the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno during flybys in December 2023 and February 2024, this animation is an artist’s concept of a feature on the Jovian moon Io that the mission science team nicknamed “Steeple Mountain.” Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Recent studies have revealed astonishing facts about Io’s volcanic history, suggesting that the moon has been erupting since the early days of the Solar System. The volcanic activity on Io is driven by tidal heating, caused by its orbital resonance with Jupiter’s moons Europa and Ganymede.

A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets by an international team of researchers led by Ery Hughes from GNS Science in New Zealand shed light on the long-term volcanic processes shaping Io. The authors explained how the orbital resonance of Io with other Jupiter moons generates tidal heating, fueling the moon’s continuous volcanic eruptions over billions of years.

Jupiter and moons — *Jupiter’s orbital system with the host planet and orbits to scale. Image credit: James Tuttle Keane / Keck Institute for Space Studies*

Using advanced techniques and observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, scientists studied the sulfur gases in Io’s atmosphere to trace the moon’s volcanic history. The isotopic composition of sulfur on Io provided insights into the duration of tidal heating and volcanic activity on the moon.

The findings of these studies indicate that Io has been volcanically active for most of its history, with varying eruption rates over time. The continuous volcanic eruptions have shaped Io’s unique landscape, making it a fascinating object for further exploration.

Check Out Also: Another Massive Volcano Discovered on Mars

As Juno continues its mission in the Jupiter system, gathering valuable data and images of Jupiter’s moons, the spacecraft remains a pivotal tool in our understanding of the Solar System’s complex dynamics. With upcoming flybys and ongoing research, Juno promises to unveil more mysteries of the gas giant and its intriguing moons.

References: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets – Isotopic Evidence of Long-Lived Volcanism on Io, Research Paper – Using Io’s Sulfur Isotope Cycle to Understand the History of Tidal Heating

For more information, visit NASA and GNS Science.

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Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?

Now may be the time to buy gold following a recent lull in its price.

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The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.

This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.

In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?

Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.

Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?

With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:

Prices may rise again

If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.

But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.

Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.

You may be able to make a quick profit

Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.

Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.

There are other benefits of investing in gold

There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:

Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.

The bottom line

Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.

Joshua Rodriguez

Joshua Rodriguez is a personal finance and investing writer with a passion for his craft. When he’s not working, he enjoys time with his wife, two kids, two dogs and two ducks.