Astronomers have discovered waves on the largest lava lake of Jupiter's moon Io. The waves diverge by two spirals, which twist clockwise and counterclockwise. The researchers reported about their discovery in the journal Nature.

The satellite of Jupiter Io is known as the most volcanically active body of the Solar System. The powerful tidal forces that act on the satellite in the gravitational field of Jupiter cause Io to erupt constantly.

In 2015, astronomers noticed on Io the largest volcanic depression - Pater Loki, whose dimensions reach 250 kilometers. The hollow actively radiates: it accounts for 10-20% of the heat of Io. Every 400-600 days the hollow becomes brighter, then dimmer.

It is believed that this is due to the cooling of lava on the surface of the lake. Having hardened and compacted, at some point it leaves in layers to depth, again opening layers of hot liquid lava and responding to surrounding areas with waves moving at a speed of 1-2 kilometers per hour. Another hypothesis of the fluctuations in the brightness of Loki's Patera and the waves on it indicates that in the lake the eruptions hidden under the surface can still continue.