2024-03-14 10:52:27
Big discovery in the eastern part of Mars’ Tharsis volcanic province, near the planet’s equator: a giant volcano and a possible layer of buried glacial ice. Both findings have generated some astonishment on social networks.
Yes, especially the giant volcano, which had been hidden in plain sight for decades in one of the most emblematic regions of the fourth planet in order of distance from the Sun and the second smallest in the solar system, on the border between the fractured labyrinths of Noctis Labyrinthus and the monumental canyons of Valles Marineris.
Characteristics
Known as “Noctis volcano” (pending an official name), the structure is centered at 7° 35′ S, 93° 55′ W. In addition, it reaches 9,022 meters high and extends 450 kilometers wide. Its size and recent history of modifications show that it has been active for a long time.
What’s more, in its southeastern part there is a recent, thin volcanic deposit beneath which there may still be glacial ice. Although the revelation is significant, this discovery will serve to study the geological evolution of Mars over time, search for life, and explore with robots and humans in the future.
“We noticed a huge and deeply eroded volcano”
The volcano, according to researchers, is a vast shield formed by layered accumulations of pyroclastic materials, lavas and ice, the latter the result of repeated accumulations of snow and glaciers on its flanks over time.
“We were examining the geology of an area where we had found remains of a glacier last year when we realized we were inside a huge, deeply eroded volcano,” Dr. Pascal Lee, lead author of the study, said in a statement. .
To consider
In addition to the volcano, the study has reported the discovery of a large area of 5,000 square kilometers of volcanic deposits within the perimeter of the volcano, which presents a series of low, rounded and elongated, blister-shaped mounds.
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This “blistered terrain” is interpreted as a field of “rootless cones,” mounds produced by the explosive release of steam or vapor swelling when a thin layer of hot volcanic materials rests on a surface rich in water or ice.
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