Giant volcano is discovered on Mars and could change the course of exploration on the planet

Another news coming from the red planet. Scientists have now discovered a giant active volcano in the equatorial zone of Marsin 450 kilometers in diameter and with possible remains of a glacier beneath its surface. Its existence was noticed almost by accident, while researchers were analyzing data from several missions to Mars, such as “Mariner 9”, “Mars Odyssey”, “Mars Express“, among others.

The discovery was announced in 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) in The Woodlandsin Texas (United States), and can open new paths for exploration of the red planet.

About the discovered giant volcano

The geological formation was discovered in the eastern part of the volcanic province Tharsisclose to the planet’s equatorial line, more specifically, it was “hidden” from everyone in the border between the maze Noctis Labyrinthus and the canyons of Valles Marineris.

Named for now as “Noctis volcano“, he reaches a maximum elevation of 9,022 meters in its internal zone, 450 kilometers in diameter. Its outer slopes stretch for 225 kilometers in different directions. He does not have the conventional cone shape of a typical volcano because a long period of deep fracturing and erosion has modified it.

To the analytics indicate that it has been active for a long time, but it is not known since when and they have not even been able to confirm whether it will be active again. Researchers believe that the its volcanic ash may be hiding a large layer of ice beneath the surface.

“We were examining the geology of an area where we found remnants of a glacier last year, when we realized we were inside a huge, deeply eroded volcano,” said Pascal Lee, scientist at NASA’s SETI Institute and Mars Institute, and author main article presented at the conference.

The central area of ​​the summit has several elevated mesas that form an arch, and slope away from there. A caldera remnant – the remains of a crater that was once a lava lake – can be seen near the center of the volcano. There are also lava flows, pyroclastic deposits It is hydrated mineral deposits at various points within the perimeter of the volcano.

According to researchers, the Noctis volcano has a long and complex history of modifications, possibly due to a combination of fracturing, thermal erosion and glacial erosion. They describe the volcano as a large shield made of layers of pyroclastic materials, lava and ice, the latter resulting from repetitive accumulations of snow over time.

Beyond the volcano…

And beyond the volcano, scientists discovered a large area of ​​volcanic deposits of 5,000 square kilometers of area, within the perimeter of the volcano, with a large number of low, rounded and elongated hills.

He [vulcão] it also has a long history of heat interacting with water and ice, which makes it a prime location for astrobiology and our search for signs of life – said Pascal Lee, lead author of the paper.

However, the volcano discovery leaves open questions. It is not known, for example, if it can erupt again; and if it has been active for a long time, will the Could the combination of sustained heat and water ice have allowed the site to support life? Questions that scientists aim to answer in the future.

It is discovery is important because it shows an interesting new place to study the geological evolution of Mars over time and look for lifeand can chart new directions in the exploration of the planet.

News reference:

55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). “Large eroded volcano complex and buried glacier ice in eastern Noctis Labyrinthus: evidence for recent volcanism and glaciation near Mars’ equator”. 2024.