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Io's "Hot Spots"

Io's "Hot Spots"
Io's "Hot Spots" This Galileo mosaic may resemble an abstract painting but is actually a high-resolution image of the longest known active lava flow in the solar system. Found in the Amirani region of Jupiter’s moon Io, this flow extends roughly 350 kilometers (220 miles). Approximately half the length of the flow is shown here. Dark areas indicate recent, fresh lava; these areas are too hot to be covered by sulfur dioxide, which appears lighter. Scientists think the main Amirani plume emanates from the fuzzy purplish area near the bottom of the image. JPL/NASA