Hidden structures discovered under the surface of Mars – DW – 09/17/2024

The Red Planet is full of surprises, and scientists are just discovering more of them. A recent analysis of the planet’s gravitational field, This was made possible by the detection of local variations using satellites in orbit, and was presented in European Planetary Science Congress 2024 in Berlin, Hidden structures are revealed beneath ancient ocean sediments.

The discovered structures are noticeably denser than the surrounding areas, with a difference of about 300 to 400 kilograms per cubic meter, which makes them really interesting. Could they be the remains of ancient volcanic activity? Or perhaps the result of meteorite impacts?

“We identified about twenty features of different sizes around the Arctic cap, one of which was shaped like a dog,” explained Dr Bart Root from Delft University of Technology. In a press release.

There are no visible traces on the surface of Mars.

What’s interesting is that there are no visible traces of these structures on the surface of Mars. They are buried under a thick layer of smooth sediments, and were likely deposited on the seafloor of that ancient ocean.

“Thanks to the gravity data, we have a tantalizing glimpse into the early history of Mars’ northern hemisphere,” Root added.

Gravity anomaly below Tharsis altitude

In addition to these structures, the study also reveals that Martian mantle processes could be active, directly affecting Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.

Using seismic data collected by NASA’s InSIGHT (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport) mission and observations from orbiting satellites, researchers have detected a gravity anomaly beneath the volcanic plateau known as the Tharsis Rise.

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This anomaly indicates the presence of a massive magma column about 1,600 kilometers in diameter and located at a depth of about 1,100 kilometers.

“There appears to be a large, slightly less dense mass deep within Mars, likely rising from the mantle,” Root was quoted as saying. The universe today“This suggests that Mars could still have active movements within it, which could generate new volcanic features on the surface,” he added.

Geological concept of bending equilibrium

The discovery challenges the geological concept of flexural equilibrium, which describes how a planet’s lithosphere responds to large-scale loading and unloading. According to this model, the massive mass of Tharsis Montes should sink to the surface of Mars. However, the opposite is true: the area is much higher than the rest of the planet.

The possibility that Mars remains volcanically active is exciting and opens up new questions about its geological evolution. Although no recent volcanic eruptions have been observed, the presence of the mantle plume suggests that we could see volcanic activity in the near geological future.

To delve deeper into these findings, researchers are calling for a new mission called Mars Quantum Gravity (MaQuis). This mission will use technology similar to the GRAIL and GRACE missions, which mapped the gravity of the Moon and Earth, respectively.

“Observations with MaQuis will allow us to better explore the interior of Mars and understand these mysterious hidden features,” said Dr. Lisa Wörner of the German Aerospace Center.

Although there is no evidence of active volcanoes on the surface yet, this new data suggests that Mars may be more “alive” than we thought. Could the Red Planet still hold surprises beneath its dusty surface? Only time and future missions will tell.

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Edited by Felipe Espinosa Wang with information from Europlanet and Universe Today.