Lava Lakes on Io: crust age and implications for thermal output

Recent observations by NASA’s Juno mission have revealed
that many of Io’s volcanic hot spots are in fact lava lakes,
characterized by a colder central crust surrounded by a hotter
peripheral ring. In this study, we investigate the thermal properties
of about twenty such lava lakes, providing new constraints on their
structure and energy budget. Our analysis shows that these features
contribute a much larger fraction of Io’s total thermal emission than
previously estimated. We also explore the relationship between the
average temperature of the crust and the evolutionary state of each
lake, offering insights into the frequency of resurfacing processes.
Finally, we propose an improved assessment of Io’s global thermal
output, but we emphasize that only observations that cover the full
surface with sufficient spatial resolution can yield realistic values
for the planet’s volcanic total heat flux.