What is the name of the largest volcano on Jupiter's moon Io?
Answer
Loki Patera
Answer
Loki Patera
The largest volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io is Loki Patera.
Loki Patera is a huge volcanic depression about 202 kilometers in diameter. It contains an active lava lake whose surface periodically cools into a crust and then overturns, exposing much hotter lava below. These resurfacing events make Loki one of the most powerful and closely watched volcanic centers in the Solar System.
The feature produces roughly 10 percent of Io’s total heat emission. Io is intensely volcanic because Jupiter and the nearby moons Europa and Ganymede continually flex its interior through tidal forces, generating heat that melts rock beneath the surface.
“Patera” is the planetary-science term for a deep, irregular depression, often volcanic in origin. Pele is another famous Io volcano and is associated with one of the moon’s largest volcanic plumes, but Loki Patera is the largest volcanic depression. Its name comes from Loki, the Norse god.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026