Using data from satellites orbiting Mars, a study found that the region known to be the youngest known volcano eruption in Mars has erupted 50,000 years ago in a region called Elysium Planitia.
Like Earth, Mars is a distinguished, crust, mantel, and centered body. On Earth, large blobs in the silicate mantle of hot material rise to feed inter-platform volcano over the so-called hotspots, as is the case with Hawaii. In contrast to the Earth, Mars does not have important plate tectonics. However, Mars exhibits volcano in the hotspot style, which is similar to inter-volcanism.
The Hawaiian low viscosity, effusive volcanic style dominates Mars. It has led to the development of over 600 miles (1,000 km) of massive shield volcanoes and individual streams. But since Mars is much smaller than the Earth and its heat loses much faster, most researchers believe that the planet is no longer geologically active.
The Earth’s geological section shows the sub-surface layers and minerals, and Mars.
Geological area of the Earth with sub-surface layers and composition of minerals, and Mars. BRESSAN D.
Most of Mars’ volcanism occurred 3-4 billion years ago, with smaller eruptions in isolated places perhaps continuing just 3 million years ago.
Volcano whereabouts
However, the new study describes a geological feature with volcanic material-like properties found on Earth. The lack of craters shows a very young age between 50,000 and 210,000 years.
The recent eruption takes place approximately 1,000 miles from NASA’s InSight lander (1 600 km), where tectonic volcano activity in Mars has been studied since 2018. Two Marsquakes have been located in the Cerberus Fossae region, and recent work has suggested that they may be due to the volcano magma movement in depth.
In recent history, a volcanic deposit like this also raises the possibility of living conditions on the Mars’ near-surface, said Horvath. “The interaction between the ascending magma and the icy substratum of this region might have given the microbial life quite recently and raises the chance for the existing life in this region.”
