Photo: NASA/JPL/MSSS/The Murray Lab
Although there is plenty of evidence that Mars has a volcanic past, it was thought to have quieted down long ago. Now, new observations reveal that an eruption could have taken place within the past 50,000 years, which indicates that the planet could still be volcanically active. This raises the possibility that it was recently, and perhaps it still is, a habitable place for microbes.
It's no secret that the Red Planet was the host of extreme volcanic activity in the past. Since the Mariner 9 mission in 1972, scientists have known that volcanic features cover a significant portion of the Martian floor. Volcanism peaked between 3 and 4 billion years ago, with smaller eruptions occurring as early as 3 million years ago in remote areas. However, until now, we had no proof that Mars was still volcanically active.
According to a new analysis by researchers at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, evidence of recent volcanic activity on Mars suggests eruptions may have occurred in the last 50,000 years. Using data from the planet's orbiting satellites, researchers found a previously unknown volcanic deposit.
The feature, seen from orbit in a region called Elysium Planitia, is eight miles (13 km) wide and circles a 20 miles (32 km) long deep fissure. The team claims it is unlike anything else seen in the region or anywhere else on Mars, resembling features created by previous eruptions on the Moon or Mercury.
The study suggests that the explosion, known as pyroclastic eruption, may have occurred as a result of gases already present in the planet's magma, or it could have happened when the magma came into contact with Martian permafrost. The interaction of ascending magma and this region's icy substrate may have created favorable conditions for microbial life relatively recently, increasing the likelihood of existing life in the Elysium Planitia region.
The newly found volcanic deposit, the seismical activity observed by NASA's InSight lander, and possible methane vapors detected by the agency's MAVEN orbiter are all evidence that indicates that Mars is far from being a frozen dead land.
The team's findings can be consulted in detail in the paper "Evidence for geologically recent explosive volcanism in Elysium Planitia, Mars," published in the journal Icarus.
According to a new analysis by researchers at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, evidence of recent volcanic activity on Mars suggests eruptions may have occurred in the last 50,000 years. Using data from the planet's orbiting satellites, researchers found a previously unknown volcanic deposit.
The feature, seen from orbit in a region called Elysium Planitia, is eight miles (13 km) wide and circles a 20 miles (32 km) long deep fissure. The team claims it is unlike anything else seen in the region or anywhere else on Mars, resembling features created by previous eruptions on the Moon or Mercury.
The study suggests that the explosion, known as pyroclastic eruption, may have occurred as a result of gases already present in the planet's magma, or it could have happened when the magma came into contact with Martian permafrost. The interaction of ascending magma and this region's icy substrate may have created favorable conditions for microbial life relatively recently, increasing the likelihood of existing life in the Elysium Planitia region.
The newly found volcanic deposit, the seismical activity observed by NASA's InSight lander, and possible methane vapors detected by the agency's MAVEN orbiter are all evidence that indicates that Mars is far from being a frozen dead land.
The team's findings can be consulted in detail in the paper "Evidence for geologically recent explosive volcanism in Elysium Planitia, Mars," published in the journal Icarus.
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