gerolima@wdl1.UUCP (Mark Gerolimatos) (11/03/86)
(duplicate posting from net.space...)
I was reading some stupid Time/Life book on the solar system, when
I ran across something on Io. The line mentioned that Io's volcanism
is not a result of radiation, as on earth.
Can someone please explain what they meant by volcanism begin the
result of radiation? Perhaps they meant in the form of heat from
the core?
"For almost a quarter of a century..."
Mark Gerolimatos
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Mail Stop X20ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) (11/05/86)
In article <3400001@wdl1.UUCP>, gerolima@wdl1.UUCP (Mark Gerolimatos) writes: > (duplicate posting from net.space...) > > I was reading some stupid Time/Life book on the solar system, when > I ran across something on Io. The line mentioned that Io's volcanism > is not a result of radiation, as on earth. > > Can someone please explain what they meant by volcanism begin the > result of radiation? Perhaps they meant in the form of heat from > the core? You have it. The Earth's core is hot as a result of radioactive decay of heavy atoms. (There is also some contribution from the release of latent heat as material gradually solidifies). Io's core is too small for this to work (also Io is made of lighter stuff). Its core is heating by tidal friction. -- "More Astronomy Ethan Vishniac Less Sodomy" {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan - from a poster seen ethan@astro.AS.UTEXAS.EDU at an airport Department of Astronomy University of Texas
karn@ka9q.bellcore.com (Phil Karn) (11/05/86)
> Can someone please explain what they meant by volcanism begin the > result of radiation? Perhaps they meant in the form of heat from > the core? The primary heat source inside the earth is radioactive decay of elements like uranium, thorium and potassium. This heat keeps much of the interior of the earth in a molten state, and drives vulcanism, plate tectonics and the like. Io is probably different in that its heat source comes Jupiter's tidal effects. The friction from the constant flexing of the moon by the planet creates enough heat to drive Io's constantly erupting volcanoes. This is the current theory, at least. Phil