Violent silicate volcanism on Io in 1996

Abstract
We monitored Io's volcanic thermal emission from 1.7 to 4.8 µm in 1995/96. The data reveal a number of brightenings when Io's thermal emission increased several‐fold. We use a model of emission from lava flows to understand observations of two brightenings in 1996. The brightenings were caused by eruptions ≃ 3km² in extent, with eruptive rates of 104‐106 m²s−1 and with maximum lava temperatures ≥ 1400 K. These events were probably lava lakes and/or fire fountains.