Lava Lakes Could Be Ionian Versions of Earth's Mid-Ocean Ridges

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

From Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon, Io, Come Ideas About What Earth
May Have Looked Like as a Newborn Planet

Lava lakes could be Ionian versions of Earth's mid-ocean ridges

Release date: Friday, March 19, 2004
Contact: Ellen Goldbaum,
University at Buffalo
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1415
Fax: 716-645-3765

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Investigations into lava lakes on the surface
of Io, the intensely volcanic moon that orbits Jupiter, may provide
clues to what Earth looked like in its earliest phases, according to
researchers at the University at Buffalo and NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.

"When I look at the data, it becomes startlingly suggestive to me
that this may be a window onto the primitive history of Earth," said
Tracy K. P. Gregg, Ph.D., assistant professor of geology in the UB
College of Arts and Sciences.

"When we look at Io, we may be seeing what Earth looked like
when it was in its earliest stages, akin to what a newborn baby
looks like in the first few seconds following birth," she added.

Gregg and Rosaly M. Lopes, Ph.D., research scientist at JPL, gave
a presentation about Io's volcano, Loki, on Tuesday (March 16,
2004) at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston.

Scientists have been interested in Loki, considered the most
powerful volcano in the solar system, because of debate over
whether or not it is an active lava lake, where molten lava is in
constant contact with a large reservoir of magma stored in the
planet's crust.

Using models developed to investigate temperature changes on
active lava lakes on Earth, Gregg and Lopes have concluded that
Loki behaves quite differently from terrestrial lava lakes.

Gregg suggests that Loki and other lava lakes on Io might be more
similar volcanologically to fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges on
Earth, like the Southern East Pacific Rise.

According to Gregg, plate tectonics on Earth make these features
long -- as in thousands of kilometers -- and narrow -- as in less
than 10 kilometers wide. Io, on the other hand, has no plate
tectonics and a similar release of heat and magma would be circular,
like Loki.

"These lava lakes could be an Ionian version of mid-ocean ridges,"
functioning the way these ridges do on Earth, spilling huge amounts
of lava on its surface, thus generating new crust, she said.

During the most intense periods of its eruption cycle, Gregg said,
Loki churns out about 1,000 square meters of lava -- about the
size of a soccer field -- per second.

"All planets start out hot and spend their 'lifetimes' trying to get
cold," explained Gregg.

This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

On Earth, she explained, the shifting of the planet's tectonic plates,
which focus the eruption of volcanoes at their boundaries, function to
cool down the planet's surface.

Io never developed plate tectonics because it is stuck in an
incessant orbit between Jupiter and Europa, another of the Jovian
planet's moons.

"Io just never grew up," she said, "since it's continually being
pushed around by Jupiter and Europa."

But, she added, Earth only developed plate tectonics after it had
been in existence for perhaps 200 to 500 million years.

Gregg and Lopes analyzed data obtained by the Galileo spacecraft,
which orbited Jupiter for 14 years, finally disintegrating in Jupiter's
atmosphere last fall.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public
university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State
University of New York.

Interesting,

slight problems with the completely different radioactive element
concentrations and, needless to say, masses and radii.




"Ron" wrote in message
m...

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

From Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon, Io, Come Ideas About What Earth
May Have Looked Like as a Newborn Planet

Lava lakes could be Ionian versions of Earth's mid-ocean ridges

Release date: Friday, March 19, 2004
Contact: Ellen Goldbaum,
University at Buffalo
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1415
Fax: 716-645-3765

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Investigations into lava lakes on the surface
of Io, the intensely volcanic moon that orbits Jupiter, may provide
clues to what Earth looked like in its earliest phases, according to
researchers at the University at Buffalo and NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.

"When I look at the data, it becomes startlingly suggestive to me
that this may be a window onto the primitive history of Earth," said
Tracy K. P. Gregg, Ph.D., assistant professor of geology in the UB
College of Arts and Sciences.

"When we look at Io, we may be seeing what Earth looked like
when it was in its earliest stages, akin to what a newborn baby
looks like in the first few seconds following birth," she added.

Gregg and Rosaly M. Lopes, Ph.D., research scientist at JPL, gave
a presentation about Io's volcano, Loki, on Tuesday (March 16,
2004) at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston.

Scientists have been interested in Loki, considered the most
powerful volcano in the solar system, because of debate over
whether or not it is an active lava lake, where molten lava is in
constant contact with a large reservoir of magma stored in the
planet's crust.

Using models developed to investigate temperature changes on
active lava lakes on Earth, Gregg and Lopes have concluded that
Loki behaves quite differently from terrestrial lava lakes.

Gregg suggests that Loki and other lava lakes on Io might be more
similar volcanologically to fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges on
Earth, like the Southern East Pacific Rise.

According to Gregg, plate tectonics on Earth make these features
long -- as in thousands of kilometers -- and narrow -- as in less
than 10 kilometers wide. Io, on the other hand, has no plate
tectonics and a similar release of heat and magma would be circular,
like Loki.

"These lava lakes could be an Ionian version of mid-ocean ridges,"
functioning the way these ridges do on Earth, spilling huge amounts
of lava on its surface, thus generating new crust, she said.

During the most intense periods of its eruption cycle, Gregg said,
Loki churns out about 1,000 square meters of lava -- about the
size of a soccer field -- per second.

"All planets start out hot and spend their 'lifetimes' trying to get
cold," explained Gregg.

This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

On Earth, she explained, the shifting of the planet's tectonic plates,
which focus the eruption of volcanoes at their boundaries, function to
cool down the planet's surface.

Io never developed plate tectonics because it is stuck in an
incessant orbit between Jupiter and Europa, another of the Jovian
planet's moons.

"Io just never grew up," she said, "since it's continually being
pushed around by Jupiter and Europa."

But, she added, Earth only developed plate tectonics after it had
been in existence for perhaps 200 to 500 million years.

Gregg and Lopes analyzed data obtained by the Galileo spacecraft,
which orbited Jupiter for 14 years, finally disintegrating in Jupiter's
atmosphere last fall.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public
university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State
University of New York.

(Ron) wrote in message om...
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

From Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon, Io, Come Ideas About What Earth
May Have Looked Like as a Newborn Planet

Lava lakes could be Ionian versions of Earth's mid-ocean ridges

Release date: Friday, March 19, 2004
Contact: Ellen Goldbaum,
University at Buffalo
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1415
Fax: 716-645-3765


"All planets start out hot and spend their 'lifetimes' trying to get
cold," explained Gregg.

What does "start" mean? (In the beginning there was core, mantle and
crust? ) How long did it take the planet to differentiate?


This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?

On Earth, she explained, the shifting of the planet's tectonic plates,
which focus the eruption of volcanoes at their boundaries, function to
cool down the planet's surface.

Partially melting to create the ocean floors is 'cooling down'?


Io never developed plate tectonics because it is stuck in an
incessant orbit between Jupiter and Europa, another of the Jovian
planet's moons.

"Io just never grew up," she said, "since it's continually being
pushed around by Jupiter and Europa."

Wait till it becomes a cannibal, george eh?

But, she added, Earth only developed plate tectonics after it had
been in existence for perhaps 200 to 500 million years.

So there we have it, planets turn into cannibals after they have been
around for 500my.


Gregg and Lopes analyzed data obtained by the Galileo spacecraft,
which orbited Jupiter for 14 years, finally disintegrating in Jupiter's
atmosphere last fall.

....gobbled up. Which makes Io at least 500my old. Proof positive.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public
university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State
University of New York.

"don findlay" wrote in message
om...
(Ron) wrote in message
om...

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

From Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon, Io, Come Ideas About What Earth
May Have Looked Like as a Newborn Planet

Lava lakes could be Ionian versions of Earth's mid-ocean ridges

Release date: Friday, March 19, 2004
Contact: Ellen Goldbaum,
University at Buffalo
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1415
Fax: 716-645-3765


"All planets start out hot and spend their 'lifetimes' trying to get
cold," explained Gregg.

What does "start" mean? (In the beginning there was core, mantle and
crust? ) How long did it take the planet to differentiate?

In discussing this topic, it might be useful to read the following report on the
early differentiation of the earth:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2003/pdf/1945.pdf


This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?


One reason is because the earth's core is spinning faster the rest of the
planet:

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/...gaNewSpin.html

By the way, data from the Lunar Prospector indicates that the Moon may still had
a small molten co

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/water-99l.html

In addition, the moon's core is much smaller relative to the cores of the
planets of the inner solar system, and so has cooled much faster than the
earth's.

On Earth, she explained, the shifting of the planet's tectonic plates,
which focus the eruption of volcanoes at their boundaries, function to
cool down the planet's surface.

Partially melting to create the ocean floors is 'cooling down'?

I'm sure she means compared to the distant past, the earth is much cooler than
it once was. The release of heat energy at the volcanically active boundaries
have acted to slowly cool the interior of earth relative to what it once was.


Io never developed plate tectonics because it is stuck in an
incessant orbit between Jupiter and Europa, another of the Jovian
planet's moons.

"Io just never grew up," she said, "since it's continually being
pushed around by Jupiter and Europa."

Wait till it becomes a cannibal, george eh?

Io's volcanism is related to the gravitational tug of war between giant Jupiter
and Europa, as she explained. It is different than what we see on earth. Do you
have a problem with that?

But, she added, Earth only developed plate tectonics after it had
been in existence for perhaps 200 to 500 million years.

So there we have it, planets turn into cannibals after they have been
around for 500my.

Read the links above.


Gregg and Lopes analyzed data obtained by the Galileo spacecraft,
which orbited Jupiter for 14 years, finally disintegrating in Jupiter's
atmosphere last fall.

...gobbled up. Which makes Io at least 500my old. Proof positive.

***SPLASH***

The sound of Don Findlay falling into the deep end.

don findlay (or somebody else of the same name) wrote in message
thusly:

This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?

Long-lived radioactives (U238, Th232, K40) continue to generate heat
internally thus prolonging the cooling process.

--
Paul Townsend
I put it down there, and when I went back to it, there it was GONE!

Interchange the alphabetic elements to reply

"Prai Jei" wrote in message
...
don findlay (or somebody else of the same name) wrote in message
thusly:

Quoting an article purportedly originally by:
Tracy K. P. Gregg, Ph.D., assistant professor of geology in the UB
College of Arts and Sciences.
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?

Long-lived radioactives (U238, Th232, K40) continue to generate heat
internally thus prolonging the cooling process.

More significant is that the planet is cooling towards a
temperature at which the energy radiated into space is
equal to that received from the Sun. The surface reached
that long ago but Ms Gregg seems to have missed that
somewhat fundamental point.

George

don findlay presented the following explanation :
(Ron) wrote in message
om...
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-exe...ticle=66290009

From Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon, Io, Come Ideas About What Earth
May Have Looked Like as a Newborn Planet

Lava lakes could be Ionian versions of Earth's mid-ocean ridges

Release date: Friday, March 19, 2004
Contact: Ellen Goldbaum,
University at Buffalo
Phone: 716-645-5000 ext 1415
Fax: 716-645-3765


"All planets start out hot and spend their 'lifetimes' trying to get
cold," explained Gregg.

What does "start" mean? (In the beginning there was core, mantle and
crust? ) How long did it take the planet to differentiate?


This effort by planets to "chill," she explained, is an attempt to
attain a similar temperature to that of outer space, which is 4
Kelvin, or minus 269 degrees Celsius.

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?

This was something that Lord Kelvin realized also. However, the later
discovery that radioactive materials in the earth were giving off heat,
cleared that problem up

On Earth, she explained, the shifting of the planet's tectonic plates,
which focus the eruption of volcanoes at their boundaries, function to
cool down the planet's surface.

Partially melting to create the ocean floors is 'cooling down'?

I think she means that by ejecting lava which then cools that the
planet is loosing heat.

snip
The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public
university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State
University of New York.

hmm, thought SUNY Albany was bigger. Actually, they are both suny
centers aren't they.

--
This is an automatic signature of MesNews.
Site : http://mesnews.no-ip.com

And why is it taking the Earth so long to cool down? Is 4by long, in
the cooling down stakes?


This was something that Lord Kelvin realized also. However, the later
discovery that radioactive materials in the earth were giving off
heat, cleared that problem up



I remember seeing a graphic presentation of the heat insulation
qualities of various
building materials. As to how thick to get a rating of "R17". 6 inches
of foam insulation
or 17 feet of solid rock. Well, there's way more rock between the
surface and the
core, so that would imply that the Earth's crust is pretty good heat
insulation, ignoring
volcanoes and mid Atlantic ridges.