Thor is an active volcano on Jupiter'smoonIo. It is located on Io's anti-Jupiter hemisphere at 39°09′N133°08′W / 39.15°N 133.14°W / 39.15; -133.14[1]. A major eruption with high thermal emission and a large, volcanic plume was observed during a Galileo flyby on August 6, 2001, continuing into Galileo's next flyby in October 2001.[2][3] As seen during high-resolution images taken during the eruption, Thor consists of a series of dark lava flows emanating from a set of nearby volcanic depressions.[3] Before the eruption, the area consisted of red-brown plains typical of Io's mid- to high-northern latitudes and a set of yellow flows, possibly consisting of sulfur or silicate flows covered by diffuse sulfur deposits.[4] During the New Horizons encounter in February 2007, Thor was still active, with the spacecraft observing thermal emission in the near-infrared and a volcanic plume at the volcano.[5]
Gallery
Colorized Galileo image from August 2001 showing Thor plume
Low-resolution images of the anti-Jupiter hemisphere of Io, showing the effects of the Thor eruption in August 2001
Near-infrared thermal emission from Thor in October 2001
Surface changes at Thor between July 1999 and October 2001
References
^"Thor". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
^Lopes, R. M. C. (2004). "Lava lakes on Io: Observations of Io's volcanic activity from Galileo NIMS during the 2001 fly-bys". Icarus. 169: 140–174. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2003.11.013. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ abTurtle, E. P. (2004). "The final Galileo SSI observations of Io: orbits G28-I33". Icarus. 169: 3–28. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2003.10.014. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^Williams, D. A. (2005). "The Zamama–Thor region of Io: Insights from a synthesis of mapping, topography, and Galileo spacecraft data". Icarus. 177: 69–88. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.03.005. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^Spencer, J. R. (2007). "Io Volcanism Seen by New Horizons: A Major Eruption of the Tvashtar Volcano". Science. 318: 240–43. doi:10.1126/science.1147621. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
Colorized Galileo image from August 2001 showing Thor plume
Low-resolution images of the anti-Jupiter hemisphere of Io, showing the effects of the Thor eruption in August 2001
Near-infrared thermal emission from Thor in October 2001
Surface changes at Thor between July 1999 and October 2001
