Mars May Not Be Dead? ‘Smoking Gun’ Suggests Life on Red Planet
Researchers say the gas may come from magma below the surface, a clue that could point to dormant volcanism and possible hydrothermal habitats.
- On Wednesday, research published in Science Advances revealed that the European Space Agency orbiter detected hydrogen chloride gas spikes near volcanic fissures on Alba Mons' northern flanks.
- Long considered geologically "dead," Mars shows new evidence suggesting dormancy rather than extinction; seismometers detected "marsquakes," and orbital imagery revealed fresh fissures indicating possible volcanic activity.
- Researchers identified that hot magma beneath the surface releases gases through fissures; blocked by ice during winter at minus 120 degrees Celsius, the fissures channel chloride release as ice sublimates in early summer.
- Professor Daniel Mège of the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences theorizes hydrothermal systems could create "hotspots" ideal for microbial life development and shield organisms from Mars' hostile surface.
- Although active eruptions remain unobserved, Alba Mons is now a critical exploration site for studying Mars' internal heat and potential habitable environments where microbial life could potentially exist.
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50 Articles
Mysterious Gas over Mars’ Alba Mons Could Hint at Volcanic Activity
Hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas was seen during Mars’ cold aphelion season, when none was expected; the detection is best explained by ongoing igneous processes in the Martian interior. The post Mysterious Gas over Mars’ Alba Mons Could Hint at Volcanic Activity appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Scientists discover 'noxious gas' coming out of Mars
On Earth, similar conditions can provide a spot for life to flourish
Images from ESA's TGO probe amaze the experts: the Alba Mons volcano shows traces that could change the entire image of Mars.
On the surface surrounding this gigantic volcano with a crater measuring 1,600 km of circumference, cracks have been detected, dating back one million years, a pacolette from the perspective of geological time.
Mars has long been considered to be geologically dead, but in recent years the picture has changed. A new study assumes that there is still volcanic activity on the Red Planet. This suggests, among other things, long cracks in the surface.
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