Surface Changes on Io Observed by Large Binocular Telescope/SHARK in Early 2025

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Abstract
High spatial resolution images of the volcanic moon Io at visible and near-infrared wavelengths were obtained by the SHARK-VIS and SHARK-NIR instruments on the Large Binocular Telescope on UT 2025 February 18 and 23. Large-scale changes on Io’s surface are identified in these data and provide vital context for infrared observations from other telescopes and spacecraft. SHARK-VIS imaged part of the plume deposit from a large eruption close to Io’s south pole at Illyrikon that was first observed by NASA’s Juno spacecraft in 2024 December, detecting significant deposit modification. Examples of other significant surface changes detected include at Seth, identifying a new pyroclastic deposit in addition to the new lava flows previously detected in Juno infrared observations; at Amirani, confirming that volcanic activity was now confined to the southern half of the Galileo-epoch lava flow field; new red sulphur-rich deposits at Mixcoatl; and changes in the plume deposits around Prometheus. Plume deposits at Prometheus and at other volcanoes show evidence of complex interplay between different plumes issuing from the same volcano. The combination of SHARK-VIS and Juno JunoCam data moves closer to near-global, near-contemporaneous, visible-wavelength coverage of Io. SHARK-VIS lives up to its promise of a new era of planetary imaging at visible wavelengths and filling the temporal coverage gap between Juno and the arrival of the Europa Clipper and JUICE spacecraft in the Jovian system in 2030 and 2031, respectively.
Funding Information
  • NASA ∣ SMD ∣ Planetary Science Division (80NM0018F0612)

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