Whitepaper #178 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: surface/geological evolution; giant planets systems; interior evolution and volcanism
by James Keane, Alexandra A. Ahern, Fran Bagenal, Amy C. Barr Mlinar, Ko Basu, Patricio Becerra, Tanguy Bertrand, Ross A. Beyer, Carver J. Bierson, Michael T. Bland, Doris Breuer, Ashley G. Davies, Katherine de Kleer, Imke de Pater, Daniella N. DellaGiustina, Tilmann Denk, Ariana Echevarria, Catherine M. Elder, Lori M. Feaga, Cesare Grava, Patricia M. Gregg, Tracy K. P. Gregg, Christopher W. Hamilton, Camilla D. K. Harris, Walter M. Harris, Hamish C. F. C. Hay, Amanda R. Hendrix, Sarah M. Hörst, Rowan Huang, Andréa C. G. Hughes, Kandis Lea Jessup, Xianzhe Jia, Lauren M. Jozwiak, James T. Keane, Laura Kerber, Laszlo P. Kestay, Krishan K. Khurana, Walter Kiefer, Michelle R. Kirchoff, Edwin S. Kite, Lea Klaiber, Rachel L. Klima, Corbin L. Kling, Valery J. Lainey, Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Alice Lucchetti, Kathleen E. Mandt, Isamu Matsuyama, Christine McCarthy, Alfred S. McEwen, Melissa A. McGrath, Laurent G. J. Montési, Julieanne I. Moses, Arielle Moullet, Quentin Nénon, Gregory A. Neumann, Marc F. Neveu, Francis Nimmo, John W. Noonan, Maurizio Pajola, Mark P. Panning, Ryan S. Park, Anne Pommier, Lynnae C. Quick, Jani Radebaugh, Julie A. Rathbun, Kurt D. Retherford, James H. Roberts, Elias Roussos, Paul M. Schenk, Nick M. Schneider, Joe W. Schools, Rohan Sood, John R. Spencer, Dan C. Spencer, Gregor Steinbrügge, Ali H. Sulaiman, Sarah S. Sutton, Antony Trinh, Constantine C. C. Tsang, Janet Vertesi, Audrey Vorburger, Joseph H. Westlake, and David A. Williams
Published onMar 18, 2021
The Science Case for Io Exploration
Io is a priority destination for solar system exploration, as it is the best natural laboratory to study the intertwined processes of tidal heating, extreme volcanism, and atmosphere-magnetosphere interactions. Io exploration is relevant to understanding terrestrial worlds (including the early Earth), ocean worlds, and exoplanets across the cosmos.
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