In a recent survey conducted by scientists, it was discovered that the volcanoes scattered across Mars likely resemble the volcanic activity present on Earth before the formation of tectonic plates approximately 3 billion years ago.
Researchers speculate that Mars’ tumultuous volcanic past could offer valuable insights into Earth’s early history.
The scars of volcanic eruptions, identified in the Eridania region of Mars’ southern hemisphere, were meticulously documented by planetary scientist Joseph Michalski from the University of Hong Kong and his team using remote sensing data collected from various orbiters.
Currently, Earth’s surface is comprised of a network of interconnected continental plates that float atop the planet’s molten mantle. In contrast, Mars is typically regarded as a planet with a single, solid crust, which once harbored active volcanoes. These Martian volcanoes were immense in size and characterized by explosive eruptions. Among them, Olympus Mons stood out as the largest, boasting a volume approximately 100 times greater than Mauna Loa, Earth’s largest volcano located in Hawaii.
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