A recent discovery by a team of scientists led by Lee and Sourabh Shubham, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland, has challenged previous assumptions about Mars’ volcanic activity history. The team focused on a field of deposits created by past volcanic activity, which had been carved out by remains of a glacier. By analyzing orbital mission maps spanning many years, they observed what they believe to be an eroded volcano in the eastern part of Noctis Labyrinthus.
This structure appears to have a partially collapsed peak with a cauldron-like pit, old lava flows, volcanic ash blankets, and mineral patches formed by flowing water heated by magma. Based on the extent of erosion, the layering of erupted material, and comparisons with the known formation time of Noctis Labyrinthus, the researchers estimate that this volcano may have formed over 3.7 billion years ago and could have erupted as recently as 10 million years ago.
Despite some indications that Mars may still have future eruptions, most scientists believe that the planet’s volcanic activity is now mostly in the past. While small volcanic features are occasionally discovered by sharp-eyed researchers, it is believed that the larger structures have all been identified. Mars has a thin atmosphere
