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<\/a><\/p>\nThis perspective view from ESA\u2019s Mars Express shows three of Mars\u2019 famously colossal volcanoes (from left to right): Arsia, Pavonis and Ascraeus Mons. Image credit: ESA \/ DLR \/ FU Berlin.<\/p>\n
What appears to be a single volcanic eruption is often the result of complex processes operating deep beneath the surface, where magma moves, evolves, and changes over long periods of time.<\/p>\n
To fully understand how volcanoes work, geoscientists study the volcanic products that erupt at the surface, which can reveal the hidden magmatic systems feeding volcanic activity.<\/p>\n
Led by Adam Mickiewicz University researcher Bartosz Pieterek, the new research shows that this complexity also applies to Mars.<\/p>\n
By combining detailed surface mapping with orbital mineral data, the authors reconstructed the volcanic and magmatic evolution of the volcanic system south of Pavonis Mons in unprecedented detail.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur results show that even during Mars\u2019 most recent volcanic period, magma systems beneath the surface remained active and complex,\u201d Dr. Pieterek said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe volcano did not erupt just once \u2014 it evolved over time as conditions in the subsurface changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The study shows that this volcanic system developed through multiple eruptive phases, transitioning from early fissure-fed lava emplacement to later point-source activity that produced cone-forming vent.<\/p>\n
Although these lava flows appear different on the surface, they were supplied by the same underlying magma system.<\/p>\n
Each eruptive phase preserved a distinct mineral signature, allowing the scientists to trace how the magma changed through time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese mineral differences tell us that the magma itself was evolving,\u201d Dr. Pieterek said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis likely reflects changes in how deep the magma originated and how long it was stored beneath the surface before erupting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause direct sampling of Martian volcanoes is currently not possible, studies like this provide rare insight into the structure and evolution of the planet\u2019s interior.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe findings highlight how powerful orbital observations can be in revealing the hidden complexity of volcanic systems \u2014 on Mars and on other rocky planets.\u201d<\/p>\n