Mars Orbiter Detects Seasonal Hydrogen Chloride Near Alba Mons

Orbiter data points to possible volcanic activity

An international team of researchers examined data from the European and Russian ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, finding hydrogen chloride gas near the flanks of Alba Mons, the biggest volcano on Mars in terms of surface area. The detections occurred during early northern summer, a season when the gas is not usually expected in that location.

The researchers combined atmospheric observations with images from TGO’s CaSSIS camera and NASA’s HiRISE camera. These images showed narrow fissures associated with ridges and broader structures linked to the region’s volcanic history. Some fissures appear only tens of centimeters wide, while groups of fractures extend much farther across the landscape. Certain ridges have bright or dark surrounding patches that could reflect deposited material.

What the researchers say

“Our findings suggest that Mars has retained enough internal heat to support volcanic activity until recently, and possibly still does,” said Daniel Mège, professor at the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences and co-lead author of a paper published in Science Advances.

“The Trace Gas Orbiter was able to find the smoking gun. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s truly amazing that it spotted a handful of molecules from a perhaps intermittent source, whilst moving continuously along its orbit to monitor the whole martian atmosphere,” Mège said.

The team suggests that magmatic gases might be rising through these fissures, like some fumaroles on Earth. The discolouration around the fissures could come from deposits left behind by gases escaping from Mars’s interior, as around fumaroles on Earth.

Implications and limits

The researchers suggest that looking for martian life in the seeping fissures of the Alba Mons region would make a lot of sense. If hydrothermal systems are active, they could contain the ingredients and energy needed for microorganisms to develop, and shield microorganisms from the hostile and changing environment above the surface.

The findings suggest dormant magmatic activity could persist, without establishing a current eruption, liquid water or life. Hydrogen chloride is not a detection of life, and the study does not demonstrate liquid water or a habitable environment beneath Alba Mons.

Why it matters

The research adds to evidence that Mars may not be geologically dead deep inside. If confirmed, dormant volcanism could help explain localized gas signals and point to potential environments where microorganisms might have found shelter and energy in the planet’s past or present.

Sources

• futurism.com: Orbiter Detects Signs of Activity on Mars
• it-online.co.za: European orbiter detects hints of volcanic activity on Mars - IT-Online
• thebrighterside.news: Mars orbiter finds hidden volcanic activity near Alba Mons - The Brighter Side of News

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.