Mount Olympus: Scientists discover FASCINATING details of the largest volcano in the Solar System

The formation of volcanoes is one of the natural processes that most enchants geoscientists, since it represents an impressive and dynamic record of geological processes that shape celestial bodies.

Volcanoes are seen as true windows into the Earth's interior. In case of Mars, which is also a rocky planet like ours, this is no different.

The Red Planet's volcanoes are also capable of revealing clues about geological history and the conditions that prevailed over time.

By studying the largest of these structures, Mount Olympus, its composition and the materials ejected during eruptions, researchers geologists are able to reconstruct past events and understand the mechanisms that drive volcanic activity at that time. planet.

Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) used the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), present on the Mars Express spacecraft, to capture images representing volcanic activity on Mars.

(Photo: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/Canaltech/Reproduction)

The volcano is truly exceptional, as it reigns as the largest ever recorded in the entire Solar System to this day.

Through studies carried out by NASA, a remarkable phenomenon was unveiled: a kind of halo that extends for hundreds of kilometers at its base.

The recent images present a wealth of detail about Lycus Sulci, the name given to this unique formation that outlines the contours of this halo.

With this telescopic view, scientists have the opportunity to explore and decipher the intricate patterns and features that make up such a volcanic region.

Travel through the chronology of the largest volcano in the Solar System:

• About 100 million years ago, the inner flanks collapsed;
• Large lava flows flowed down the slopes of the volcano during this period, resulting in rockslides that descended from the flanks to the base of the mountain, where there was ice and water;
• The presence of hot lava had a significant effect, causing the ice to melt and its subsequent loss of stability;
• Due to this loss of stability, the rocky rim of Olympus Mons gave way and suffered a partial collapse, manifested with large rocks and landslides;
• Such landslides had a distribution that extended partially towards the neighboring plains, resulting in a change in the local topography;
• Portions of land were washed away from the volcano during the landslides and eventually dispersed across the Martian surface;
• Over time, these portions of land were subjected to compression and separation, giving rise to the relief that is now visible in recent images by Lycus Sulci.

And you, did you already know Mount Olympus on Mars?

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