Characterization of Io's volcanic activity by infrared polarimetry

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.230.4721.65· OSTI ID:5733067

Goguen, J D; Sinton, W M

The thermal emission from Io's volcanic hot spots is linearly polarized.Infrared measurements at 4.76 micrometers show disk-integrated polarization as large as 1.6 percent. The degree and position angle of linear polarization vary with Io's rotation in a manner characteristic of emission from a small number of hot spots. A model incorporating three hot spots best fits the data. The largest of these hot spots lies to the northeast of Loki Patera, as mapped from Voyager, and the other spot on the trailing hemisphere is near Ra Patera. The hot spot on the leading hemisphere corresponds to no named feature on the Voyager maps. The value determined for the index of refraction of the emitting surface is a lower bound; it is similar to that of terrestrial basalts and is somewhat less than that of sulfur. 25 references.

• Research Organization: Hawaii Univ., Honolulu
• OSTI ID: 5733067
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 230; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BASALT
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
JUPITER PLANET
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETS
POLARIZATION
REFRACTIVITY
ROCKS
SATELLITES
SULFUR
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANOES