Mars may still be volcanically active; new study suggests planet was recently habitable

A new study reveals that scientists have found some evidence that proves that Mars may still be volcanically active, with signs of an eruption within the past 50,000 years or so. Conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Planetary Science Institute, the study used data from satellites orbiting Mars, which was discovered by researchers using a previously unknown volcanic deposit. Further investigation showed that the properties, composition and distribution of material match what would be expected for a pyroclastic eruption. It is an explosive eruption of magma driven by expanding gasses. 

Lead study author David Horvath, who did the research as a postdoctoral researcher at UArizona and is now a research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute said, “This may be the youngest volcanic deposit yet documented on Mars”. He added, “If we were to compress Mars' geologic history into a single day, this would have occurred in the very last second”.

Lava flowing across Mar's surface 

The majority of volcanism in the Elysium Planitia region and elsewhere on Mars consists of lava flowing across the surface. This is similar to recent eruptions in Iceland which have been studied by co-author Christopher Hamilton. Although there are numerous examples of explosive volcanism on Mars, they occurred long ago. However, this deposit appears to be different. 

(Elysium Planitia, the region of recent explosive volcanism (white box) and NASA's InSight lander. Overlooking the plain is Elysium Mons, a volcano towering nearly 8 miles above its base. Image Credits: news.arizona.edu)

Study co-author Jeff Andrews-Hanna, who is an associate professor at the UArizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the senior author on the study said, “When we first noticed this deposit, we knew it was something special. The deposit was unlike anything else found in the region, or indeed on all of Mars, and more closely resembled features created by older volcanic eruptions on the Moon and Mercury”.

As per the study, the site of the recent eruption is about 1,000 miles from NASA's InSight lander. This has been studying seismic activity on Mars since 2018. Two Marsquakes, the Martian equivalent of earthquakes, were found to originate in the region around the Cerberus Fossae. Also, recent work has suggested the possibility that these could be due to the movement of magma deep underground. There were similar volcanic fissures in this region. They also became the source of enormous floods. Andrews-Hanna's research group is still investigating the causes of the eruption. Pranabendu Moitra, a research scientist in the UArizona Department of Geosciences, has been probing the mechanism behind the eruption. The ice melts to water, mixes with the magma and vaporizes, forcing a violent explosion of the mixture”, Moitra said. "When water mixes with magma, it's like pouring gasoline on a fire”.

(Image Credits: Pixabay)