Mars isn t dead : Recent Volcanic Activity On Red Planet irishtechnews.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from irishtechnews.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
NASA/JPL
University of Arizona scientists are investigating a new mystery on the planet Mars. They’ve located an area on the red planet where volcanoes may have erupted in the relatively recent past.
Researchers at the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and Tucson’s Planetary Science Institute found evidence of a volcanic deposit similar to those in still-active regions on Earth. UA professor Jeff Andrews-Hanna calls it an unexpected discovery.
“We knew that there was volcanic activity on Mars in the recent geologic history, the last 10 million years or so, he said. But this new observation with this new volcanic eruption as little as 50,000 years ago, geologically speaking that’s basically yesterday.”
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Volcanoes on Mars Could Be Active
Evidence of recent volcanic activity on Mars shows that eruptions could have taken place in the past 50,000 years, according to new study by researchers at the University of Arizona s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Planetary Science Institute.
Most volcanism on the Red Planet occurred between 3 and 4 billion years ago, with smaller eruptions in isolated locations continuing perhaps as recently as 3 million years ago. But, until now, there was no evidence to indicate Mars could still be volcanically active.
Recent explosive volcanic deposit around a fissure of the Cerberus Fossae system.
TORONTO A new study by researchers at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Planetary Science Institute has observed that Mars could still be volcanically active. The study, published in the journal Icarus, says evidence of recent volcanic activity on Mars shows that eruptions could have taken place in the past 50,000 years, raising the possibility of habitable conditions below the surface of the planet in recent history. Most volcanic activity took place on Mars between three and four billion years ago, according to a press release, with smaller eruptions in isolated locations continuing as recently as three million years ago – but until now there was no evidence the red planet could still be volcanically active.
Active Volcanoes on Mars Could Mean Planet Was Recently Habitable
Recent volcanic activity might have been triggered by a nearby asteroid impact.
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Evidence of recent volcanic activity on Mars shows that eruptions could have taken place in the past 50,000 years, according to new study by researchers at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Planetary Science Institute.
Most volcanism on the Red Planet occurred between 3 and 4 billion years ago, with smaller eruptions in isolated locations continuing perhaps as recently as 3 million years ago. But, until now, there was no evidence to indicate Mars could still be volcanically active.