Comparing volcanic activity on the ancient Moon and present-day Io reveals intriguing contrasts. The Moon, once active but now dormant, displays ancient volcanic features such as lava plains and large basaltic eruptions. In contrast, Io, one of Jupiter's moons, boasts ongoing and intense volcanic activity due to tidal forces. Its volcanoes spew plumes of sulfur and release massive lava flows, making it the most volcanically active body in our solar system. These comparisons provide insights into the dynamic nature of planetary bodies and the varied processes that shape their surfaces over time.

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About the speaker: Prof Lionel Wilson

Prof Lionel Wilson - Lancaster University;

Lionel is a physicist; his doctoral thesis was concerned with the load-bearing properties of the surface of the Moon just prior to the Apollo landings. When ancient lava flows were detected on the Moon in images taken by the astronauts he was amazed to find that there was essentially no literature on the physics of volcanic eruptions that he could use to analyze these flows; as a result, he has spent the last 50 years developing mathematical physical models of all types of volcanic eruption.