A new study of geologically young lava flows in Elysium Planitia suggests that Mars might still have residual volcanic activity below its surface. The finding could also correlate with seismic activity detected by the InSight lander in the same region and may have implications for possible martian life. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/mars-cerberus-fossae-young-lava-flows-volcanic-activity…
Tag: volcanism
Are There Active Volcanoes on Mars?
Mars is a dead planet — “Or is it?” asks the New York Times:
Previous research has hinted at volcanic eruptions on Mars 2.5 million years ago. But a new paper suggests an eruption occurred as recently as 53,000 years ago in a region called Cerberus Fossae, which would be the youngest known volcanic eruption on Mars. That drives home the prospect…
How Jupiter’s moon Io gets its hellish atmosphere
Hot, active volcanoes produce almost half of Jupiter’s moon Io’s sulfur atmosphere, according to new observations using the ALMA telescope. The rest comes from cold sulfur deposits that freeze on the surface, then sublimate in sunlight. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/io-sulfur-volcanoes-hot-so2-cold-so2…
Planetary alignment? Increase in volcanoes?
The book called “The Jupiter Effect” suggested an alignment of planets in 1982 would cause earthly catastrophes, including a great earthquake on California’s San Andreas Fault. There’s another planetary alignment, of sorts, going on now. Will it cause volcanic eruptions? Charts, and info, from Guy Ottewell. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/planetary-alignment-increase-in-volcanoes-july-2020…
A proposed new mission to Venus
The proposed VERITAS mission to Venus is one of the finalists for NASA’s Discovery Program. If selected, it will revolutionize our knowledge about the planet’s geology and how this formerly habitable world became a fiery wasteland. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/veritas-mission-venus-surface-interior-geology…
Study reveals biggest Yellowstone supervolcano eruption
The new study also suggests that the supervolcano under Yellowstone National Park was much more explosive in its early history and could be slowing down. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/yellowstone-supervolcano-biggest-eruption-slowing…
On Mars, mud flows like lava
Scientists in Europe have found that some features on Mars that were thought to be lava flows may actually have been flows of muddy water. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/mars-lava-mud-mud-volcanoes…
The US Army Bombed a Hawaiian Lava Flow. It Didn’t Work.
An anonymous reader quotes the New York Times: Why were two apparently unexploded bombs sticking out of a lava tube on Hawaii’s Mauna Loa? That’s what Kawika Singson, a photographer, wondered in February when he was hiking on Mauna Loa, the colossal shield volcano that rises 55,700 feet from its base below the sea to its summit. Singson had stumbled upon…
NASA issues a Venus rover design challenge
NASA has issued a public challenge where you can help design a critical sensor that would be needed for a future rover on Venus. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/venus-aree-rover-sensor-public-challenge…
Volcanism ruled out in dino extinction debate
A new study has suggested that it was an asteroid strike, not volcanism, that ultimately wiped out the dinosaurs. To determine this, Southampton Unive… Source: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/333882/volcanism-ruled-out-in-dino-extinction-debate…