A recent study of volcanic features on the surface of the red planet reveals that the volcanic ash deposit in the Elysium Planitia region appears to be relatively young, at around 50,000 years old.
In geological terms, this is an incredibly short period. It suggests that Mars could have had the potential for life relatively recently in some areas, similar to volcanic regions on Earth, like Iceland, where extremophiles (organisms that can survive in extreme environments) could thrive. “This is probably the youngest volcanic ash deposit ever documented on Mars. If we compress the geological history of Mars into one day, this event may have occurred in the very last second,” said astronomer David Horvath of the Planetary Science Institute and the University of Arizona.
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Martian ash deposit around a fissure in Cerberus Fossae. Image: NASA
In recent times, scientists have made several surprising discoveries on Mars, such as finding dry rock debris with some channels indicating volcanic activity.
A study in 2019 showed the presence of liquid water beneath the surface of Mars, suggesting that the planet’s interior heating might have prevented the water from freezing. Another study last year also found a Martian meteorite containing evidence of lava convection in the Martian mantle.
Using satellite data, a team of astronomers led by Horvath has now provided new evidence of volcanic ash deposits on Elysium Planitia, a vast plain located north of Mars’ equator.
Most of the volcanic features on Mars come from lava flows on the surface rather than explosive eruptions, although the exact nature of volcanic eruptions on Mars is still not fully understood. What makes this research team’s discovery notable is that the volcanic ash deposit lies on top of other surrounding lava flows, indicating that it occurred more recently.
“This eruption could have produced a 10-kilometer-high ash column in Mars’ atmosphere. Elysium Planitia is home to some of the youngest volcanic systems on Mars, dated back around 3 million years.”
This new discovery could pave the way for future missions to Mars, where signs of life might be found.
According to Science Alert.