Is Mars still volcanically active? Scientists discover new clues beneath its surface

Résumé détaillé

Scientists have detected unusual gas above cracks near a giant Martian volcano, raising the possibility that heat and volcanic activity may still exist deep beneath the planet's surface

Mars may not be as geologically quiet as scientists once thought. Researchers have detected unusual traces of gas above cracks near a massive volcano on the Red Planet, raising the possibility that volcanic activity may still be taking place deep beneath its surface.

The findings, published in the journal Science Advances on November 4, could change how scientists understand the planet's interior and where they might look for signs of life.

The discovery was made using the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a spacecraft operated through a collaboration between the European Space Agency and Russia's space agency, Roscosmos.

The spacecraft detected hydrogen chloride, a gas that can be released by volcanic activity on Earth, above cracks in the Alba Mons region of Mars. Alba Mons is a huge ancient volcano in the planet's northern hemisphere and is the largest Martian volcano by surface area.

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