Recent Volcanic Activity Observed on Mars by Scientists

A recent scientific survey utilizing ground-penetrating radar and satellite images has revealed surprising signs of volcanic activity on Mars, indicating eruptions far more recent than previously thought.

This new information suggests that beneath its desolate exterior, Mars is more geologically active than it appears. Conducted over the Elysium Planitia region, the study revealed potential volcanic events as recent as 120 million years ago.

The Elysium Planitia area, recognized as Mars’ youngest volcanic region, is key to understanding both the planet’s ancient and more recent volcanic and hydrological history, according to the study’s authors.

Remarkably, some volcanic features on Mars may date back to just 1 million years ago. This timeframe is considered geologically recent, and yet scientists have not directly observed any active volcanism on Mars to date. However, the possibility of ongoing volcanic activity on the planet remains open, based on these findings.

The research suggests that Mars experienced volcanic activity around the same time dinosaurs inhabited Earth. Joana Voigt, a co-lead of the study with Christopher Hamilton of the University of Arizona and affiliated with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, emphasized that Elysium Planitia’s volcanic history might be more significant than previously believed, possibly indicating current volcanic activity.

Scientists were intrigued by the apparently young age of some lava flows on Mars’s surface. Voigt highlighted the importance of Elysium Planitia in linking surface observations to the internal dynamics of Mars that result in volcanic eruptions. He detailed his focus on analyzing lava surfaces to distinguish between different eruption events and reconstruct the area’s geological history.

Supporting the idea of Mars’ geological activity, NASA’s InSight lander recorded numerous quakes on the planet between 2018 and 2022, suggesting that Mars is far from a geologically dormant world.

Hamilton described their study as the most comprehensive analysis of recent volcanic activity on a planet other than Earth. He noted that their findings provide the best estimation of Mars’ volcanic activity in the last 120 million years, a period that corresponds to the peak era of dinosaurs on Earth until the present day.