Determining Io's Lava Eruption Temperature: Strategies for a New Mission to the Most Dynamic Satellite in the Solar System

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Spacecraft observations of lava fountains [1, 2] and skylights (holes in the roof of a lava tube) [2, 3] offer the best opportunities for determining eruption temperature of Io's dominant lavas, probably the most important unanswered science question in the wake of the Galileo mission. Determining if Io's lavas are predominantly mafic (1850 K) immediately applies strong constraints to composition and state of Io's mantle [1]. To answer this question we have evaluated the best observations to be made from an Io-dedicated mission, such as the proposed Discovery-class Io Volcano Observer (IVO) [4] or a mission including a close Io flyby, as well as what is required to determine eruption mode using the most efficient selection of imager wavelengths [2]. Episodes of lava fountaining during fissure eruptions are the cause of large thermal outbursts from Io. The magnitude of the thermal emission means that this mode of eruption has the advantage of being easily detectable from great distances, allowing identification during Io monitoring phases of spacecraft missions. Variability in fountain activity and the need to isolate fountain thermal emission from that of associated lava flows requires detailed modelling of clast cooling and the integrated fountain and flow thermal emission. Also required is the almost contemporaneous (

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