Scientists have discovered a giant volcano that has been severely eroded near the Martian equator (SETI Institute)

During the 55th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference held in the United States of America, Texas, on Wednesday, March 13, an international research team announced the discovery of a giant volcano on the surface of Mars, south of the planet’s equator.

Scientists also discovered a vast area of ​​5,000 square kilometers of volcanic deposits in the vicinity of the volcano, showing a large number of low, round and elongated hills resembling pimples.

The discovered huge volcano was temporarily named “Noctis” pending the official name. It has a height of 9,000 meters (2,960 feet), along with other well-known giant volcanoes, namely “Ascarios Monis”, “Pavonis”, and “Arsia Monis”, but the new volcano competes with them. In diameter, it is about 450 kilometers (280 miles) wide.

Topographic map showing the location of the giant volcano discovered on the surface of Mars (SETI Institute)

According to the press release issued by the SETI Institute and Mars Institute team involved in the discovery, “Scientists have uncovered a giant volcano that was hiding in plain sight in one of the most famous regions of Mars, and due to the severe erosion to which it was subjected, it has become unrecognizable.”

Scientists indicated that this volcano is located in a maze-like terrain in the eastern part of the Tharsis volcanic plateau near the Martian equator, in addition to the presence of a possible ice layer at its base.

“We were examining the geology of the area where we found the remains of a glacier last year, and we realized that we were inside a huge, heavily eroded volcano,” says the study’s lead researcher, planetary scientist at the SETI Institute and the Mars Institute, Dr. Pascal Li.

Volcano active for a long time

The statement indicates that the giant volcano Noctis was active from ancient times until relatively recently, with possible remnants of ice near its base. The massive size of the volcano and its complex geological features indicate that it has been active for a very long time in the southeastern part, which has thin, young volcanic deposits that may have had ice underneath.

“This region of Mars is known to contain a variety of hydrated minerals that span a long period of Martian history,” says study co-researcher Saurabh Shubham of the University of Maryland. “It has long been suspected that a volcanic environment exists for these minerals, so "It might not be so surprising to find a volcano there."

The volcano was active from ancient times until relatively recently, with possible remnants of ice near its base (SETI Institute)

A new site for searching for life

The research team stated that the discovery of this volcano makes the place attractive and exciting for searching for life, and a potential destination for mechanical and human exploration in the future. The discovery of ice buried under relatively recent volcanic deposits within the vicinity of the eroded volcano is important for studying the geological evolution of Mars over time.

Researchers explain the formation of the giant volcano “Noctis” as the result of accumulations of layers of lava and ice, the latter resulting from the repeated accumulation of snow and glaciers on its sides over time, with the development of fractures and faults in the end, especially with regard to the uplift of the broader “Tharsis” region on which it is located. volcano; Lava began to rise across different parts of the volcano, leading to thermal erosion, the removal of massive amounts of buried ice, and the catastrophic collapse of entire parts of the volcano.

Researchers believe that the continuing mysteries surrounding Noctis volcano are arousing the attention of scientists, and the site has already begun to emerge as a new and exciting site for studying the geological evolution of Mars, searching for life, and planning for future exploration.

Dr. Pascal Li says: “It is an ancient and long-lived volcano, so you can hike or fly around it to examine different parts of its interior and their history to study the evolution of Mars over time, making it a prime site for astrobiology and the search for signs of life, and with ice continuing to be preserved nearby.” "From the surface, in a relatively warm, equatorial region on Mars, it looks like a very attractive place for robotic and human exploration."

It is noteworthy that the study of this giant volcano was conducted using data from NASA’s Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter 1 and 2 spacecraft, in addition to NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. European.

Source: Al Jazeera + websites