NASA and SwRI Plan a Joint Study of Io’s Volcanic Activity with Hubble and Webb
A major collaborative project between NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute in the United States and the Southwest Research Institute in Texas aims to use the orbiting telescopes Hubble and James Webb to study the volcanic behavior of Jupiter’s moon Io. This initiative follows a recent report from SwRI’s Press Service and highlights how ground-based and space-based observations can work together to unlock new insights about Io and its role in the Jovian system.
Observation data gathered by these telescopes will complement NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it approaches Jupiter, providing a broader context for understanding how Io’s volcanic plumes influence the plasma environment around the gas giant. By combining high-resolution imagery with spectroscopic data, scientists hope to map the interactions between Io’s surface eruptions and Jupiter’s magnetosphere, as well as the way these processes affect the faint rings and surrounding moons.
The project employs both probe-based observations and wide-field orbital monitoring to explore how Io’s volcanic activity interacts with Jupiter’s dense atmosphere and the complex system of moons orbiting the planet. These efforts aim to illuminate the drivers of intense auroras observed near Jupiter and to clarify how energy transfers occur within this massive planetary system. Juno’s upcoming close approaches to Io are scheduled to provide valuable data points during its orbital campaign, with the mission set to bring it to its closest pass on late December 2023 and again in early February 2024.
With a focus on comprehensive study, the initiative seeks to build a detailed picture of Io’s volcano-driven dynamics and their wider effects on Jupiter’s environment. The collaboration leverages the strengths of space-based telescopes for continuous monitoring and the Juno spacecraft for in-situ measurements and magnetic field data. This integrated approach promises to advance our understanding of moon–planet interactions and to set a benchmark for studying outer solar system bodies as part of a long-range exploration strategy.
Historically, astronomers have mapped the weather on giant planets to understand long-lived storms and atmospheric patterns. For Io and Jupiter, the goal is to uncover how frequent and violent volcanic activity shapes the surrounding plasma and atmospheric conditions, potentially influencing auroral activity and the behavior of nearby moons over time. The joint project represents a renewed commitment to multi-instrument, multi-mission science that can reveal the complex choreography of Jupiter’s neighborhood and its most active moon.