Here is what really shaped Mars early in its history
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Mars, with its relatively well-preserved ancient crust, offers insights into early planetary evolution. Recent studies suggest Mars was not just a stagnant world but was tectonically and volcanically active in its early history.
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Mars has been traditionally viewed as a one-plate basaltic planet. However, new evidence indicates sporadic magmatic evolution, potentially resulting in felsic crust, Sci News reported.
Research in the southern highlands of Mars, particularly the Eridania basin, reveals diverse volcanism and complex volcano tectonics dating back 3.5 to 4 billion years.
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Almost half of Mars' surface is over 3.5 billion years old, suggesting limited crustal recycling since then, unlike Earth's dynamic tectonic processes.
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Dr. Joseph Michalski and his colleagues from the University of Hong Kong explore Mars to understand early crustal evolution and volcano tectonic processes.
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The researchers analyzed remote sensing data from orbiters like NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to study the morphology and mineralogy of the Eridania region.
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The Eridania region exhibits the strongest remnants of Mars' ancient magnetic field and various signatures of volcanism.
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Researchers identified 63 instances of different types of volcanoes in the Eridania region, including volcanic domes, stratovolcanoes, pyroclastic shields, and caldera complexes.
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The presence of such diverse volcanic structures suggests a vigorous period of geologic activity on early Mars, potentially driven by vertical tectonics.
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The findings not only shed light on Mars' early history but also offer insights into the possibility of hydrothermal origin of life scenarios, making Mars a valuable puzzle piece in understanding planetary evolution.