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Volcanic
Fire Curtains in Eruption on Io
The
detection of very high temperature volcanism--hotter than any terrestrial
lavas currently erupting--is one of the most spectacular discoveries
by the Galileo mission at Io. The images are of an area called Tvashtar
and show curtains of lava fountains erupting on the surface. They
were taken by the Galileo spacecraft on November 26, 1999. The active
region is approximately 25 kilometers long (15.5 miles) and 1 km
(.6 mile) high. The radiant energy emitted from the lava curtain
was so intense that it overpowered the camera's detector and it
is registered only in white.
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