New Galileo Observations of Ionian Mountains

Physics

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5475 Tectonics (8149), 6218 Jovian Satellites

Scientific paper

In order to address the questions of how ionian mountains form and what their relationship to volcanism is, Galileo made several observations of Io's high mountains and plateaus during three flybys (I24, I25, and I27) of the Galileo Europa Mission [1-3]. These images, which ranged from 260 m/pixel to 1.5 km/pixel, showed significant variation in mountain morphologies and revealed the substantial role played by mass wasting upon Io [1,4] as well as a possible association with ionian paterae [1,5]. To build upon these observations several more, even higher resolution, observations were planned during the I31, I32, and I33 orbits of the Galileo Millennium Mission. Sadly, the I31 and I33 images were lost due to problems onboard the spacecraft caused by the high-radiation environment near Jupiter [6]. However, I32 has provided the best mountain images to date. These include: Telegonus Mensa at ~10 and ~40 m/pixel. In an I27 observation the arcuate nature of the southeastern margin of Telegonus Mensa had been noted as possible evidence that sapping by SO2 might be occurring [1,4]. The I32 observations indicate that the dominant erosion process at Telegonus' is mass wasting; the observations reveal large slump blocks on the scarps. Tohil Mons and Patera near the terminator at ~50 and ~325 m/pixel. Tohil was observed during both I24 and I27 to provide stereo data but limited vertical resolution and the high sun angles obscured topographic details. The I32 images reveal significant topographic information. For example, a lack of relief in Tohil Patera and a series of NW-SE trending scarps along the northeastern margin of the mountain which resemble an imbricate thrust belt [7] and which appear to have been interrupted by the formation of a small, dark patera. [1] Turtle E.P. et al. (2001) JGR, 106. [2] McEwen A.S. et al. (2000) Science, 288. [3] Schenk P.M. et al. (2001) J GR, 106. [4] Moore et al. (2001) JGR, 106. [5] Masursky H. et al. (1979) Nature, 280. [6] Keszthelyi L.P. et al. (2002) LPSC XXXIII. [7] Jaeger W.L. et al. (200 2) LPSC XXXIII.

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