All articles tagged with #planetary geology
A dark patch in Mars’ Utopia Planitia, made of ash and volcanic rocks, has slowly expanded since it was first photographed by Viking 2 in 1976. ESA’s Mars Express captured new images in 2024 showing the shadow creeping southward by roughly 320 km (about 6.5 km per year). Scientists think Martian winds likely move the ash or blow away dust covering it, but the exact cause is still unknown.
Curiosity cracked open a rock in the Gediz Vallis Channel on Mars to reveal pure elemental sulfur, the first such find on the planet, suggesting sulfur-rich processes in this ancient waterway. While sulfates are common on Mars, the origin of this pure sulfur is unclear and will require further analysis and modeling as the rover continues its exploration.
NASA's recent findings highlight Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the Solar System located on Mars, which stands over 27 km high and spans an area larger than Poland. Its massive size results from Mars's lack of tectonic activity, allowing repeated lava flows to build up over millions of years. Although dormant since about 25 million years ago, recent discoveries of frost suggest potential future activity or water presence, keeping scientists intrigued about this geological marvel.
Scientists have discovered extensive ancient river systems on Mars, revealing that the planet once had a complex network of water flows similar to Earth's, which significantly shaped its surface and suggests a wetter, potentially habitable past.
Scientists have discovered shallow water ice beneath the surface of Mars in a mid-latitude region, which could serve as a crucial resource for future human missions by providing water, fuel, and insights into the planet's habitability. The findings suggest promising landing sites and highlight the importance of further exploration to confirm the ice's characteristics, aiding planning for future exploration efforts.
Scientists have discovered that water-rich exoplanets, especially sub-Neptunes close to their stars, can produce their own water through high-pressure reactions between silicate melts and hydrogen in their atmospheres, challenging previous theories about their formation and composition.
Experiments simulating Martian conditions reveal that the gullies and sinuous features on Mars' dunes are carved by the sublimation of dry ice, which burrows into the sand and ejects material, explaining their unique shapes and formation process.
Scientists have discovered that dry ice (CO₂ ice) sublimating and sliding down slopes on Mars can carve out gullies, offering an alternative explanation to water flow for these features and providing insights into Martian geology and climate processes.
A new study suggests that the mysterious gullies on Mars are carved by blocks of dry ice melting and sublimating during spring, which propels sand and creates winding trenches, offering a water-free explanation for these features and indicating Mars's ongoing geological activity.
Scientists are exploring the mysterious coronae on Venus, which are large, circular surface features possibly formed by mantle plumes encountering a 'glass-ceiling' beneath the crust, offering insights into Venus's geological activity and differences from Earth.
Scientists have discovered massive underground lava-carved tunnels on Venus, which are much larger than expected and challenge existing understanding of lava tube formation, potentially offering insights into Venus's volcanic history and future exploration opportunities.
Scientists have confirmed the existence of massive underground lava tubes on Venus, which are similar to those on the Moon but larger, potentially due to Venus' unique geological conditions. These findings could enhance understanding of Venus' geological history and support future exploration missions, such as the European Space Agency's EnVision mission set for 2031.
A study from the University of Zurich suggests Venus may have been struck by a Mars-sized object, which could explain its unusual retrograde rotation and lack of a moon, as well as its geologically young surface due to volcanic resurfacing caused by the impact.
Scientists discovered a new mineral called ferric hydroxysulfate on Mars, indicating the planet once had water, heat, and chemical conditions similar to early Earth, which suggests Mars may have supported life in the past and could potentially do so in the future.
NASA's InSight lander data reveals that Mars' mantle contains ancient impact fragments, indicating a sluggish interior that has preserved features from early solar system impacts, providing new insights into the planet's geological history.