It is present deep in the crust as attached to minerals. Find us on Socials or Contact us and well get back to you as soon as possible. The origin of the aureole remains debated, but it was likely formed by huge landslides[15] or gravity-driven thrust sheets that sloughed off the edges of the Olympus Mons shield. Today's VIS image is located on the upper slopes of Olympus Mons. It has a height of nearly 25 km (16 mi) above Mars'surface and a diameter of 600 km, making it about as large as Arizona. Some scientists have used the High Resolution Stereo Camera installed on the European Mars Express orbiter to create a mosaic and terrain model (opens in new tab) of the volcano. Several of the volcanos on Mars, including Olympus Mons, occur in the Tharsis region; the magma for the volcanos may come from hot material welling up in plumes from deep in Mars' interior. This could cause Mars to eventually be pulled closer to Earth, causing it to crash into our planet or vice versa. From the effects on the Martian atmosphere to the potential damage caused to the Earths climate, this article will examine the potential consequences of an eruption of Olympus Mons and the potential global catastrophe it could cause. The atmosphere would be significantly altered by the eruption. This could cause disruption in communication between satellites orbiting Earth and satellites orbiting Mars, as well as disruptions in communications between astronauts on the International Space Station and those on the Mars Exploration Rover. Right next to the Autocorrect range? Olympus Mons is as big around as the state of Arizona (about 400 miles) and rises 16 miles above the Martian surface almost three times taller than Mt. By James . Richardson, J. W. et al. This means that mantle plumes i.e. Rather than violently spewing molten material, shield volcanoes are created by lava slowly flowing down their sides. Friction was higher in that direction because the sediments were thinner and probably consisted of coarser grained material resistant to sliding. Olympus Mons is the youngest of the large volcanoes on Mars, having formed during Mars's Hesperian Period with eruptions continuing well into the Amazonian. 5. Thanks, Robert. Here's what that looks like compared to Everest: The caldera is easily visible as the small, central circle in the NASA picture below of Olympus Mons, the zit-looking mound in the upper center, which Brady used for his comparison image. This is a question that is often asked but rarely explored in depth. That means it doesn't chaotically spew melted rock out, causing planetary destruction in the process. The apparent motion is due to movement by Odyssey's infrared camera, Thermal A large mound of sand and dune forms are located on the floor of an unnamed crater south of Rabe Crater in Noachis Terra. The black outline of Arizona over this image of Olympus Mons shows the similar surface areas. Volcanoes occur mainly due to tectonic activity (Ignoring mantle plumes for now), more specifically, the pushing down of the oceanic-plate, by the above land-plate. Olympus Mons is located between the northwestern edge of the Tharsis region and the eastern edge of Amazonis Planitia. Orbit Number: 87404 Latitude: 19.745 Longitude: 225.085 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-08-28 03:42. The largest of the four, Olympus Mons, is at bottom right. Mars would briefly have a thicker atmosphere, and there would be a big ash plume. Mouseover or click to view the metric conversion for this comment. Instead, they tend to produce a steady and long-lasting flow of lava. [18], Due to the size and shallow slopes of Olympus Mons, an observer standing on the Martian surface would be unable to view the entire profile of the volcano, even from a great distance. So, it turns out, the Red Planets era of running rivers and flowing lava might not have only been confined to the extremely distant past. so, ZERO effect. And when four mega volcanoes formed so close together it proved to be more weight than Mars surface could bear. As far as effects, while certainly eruptions are likely to have generated significant volumes of gas and ash at various points, Mars is - as far as we're aware - a dead planet. The oldest activity at Olympus Mons could be much older than this and would have been buried by younger lava flows. Taken on April 24, 2019, this rainbow-colored image shows the Martian moon Phobos, as viewed by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter using its infrared camera, THEMIS. Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Dating The Most Recent Episodes of Volcanic Activity From Mars's Main Volcanic Calderae (sic). By some estimates, the most recent large volcanic eruption at Olympus Mons occurred only 25 million years ago. Multiple sources also suggest mars still has magma. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano. (Dont ask how). (2010). I do not wish to argue directly with the theory that volcanoes need water to erupt as I am not an expert in this subject, but lets give some comparison. Though some eruptions are bigger than others, even in the same volcano, the extent of effects from a volcano even one the size of OM are only felt on that particular planet. The western portion of the volcano lies in the Amazonis quadrangle (MC-8) and the central and eastern portions in the adjoining Tharsis quadrangle (MC-9). By studying six nakhlite meteorites from Mars previously established as volcanic, scientists confirmed the extensive lifetime of Martian volcanoes. Shield volcanoes are classified as very large with broad slopes. All probably formed within 100 million years of each other.[32][33]. 8 Best Family Resort In The Us Virgin Islands: Fun For All Ages! Actually all I wanted to do was to correct the typo "Olympus moss"; adding the link was an afterthought. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. At the time, a series of four volcanoes Olympus Mons and the three peaks of Tharsis Montes were all growing taller than any mountain on Earth. The sediments likely contained abundant Noachian-aged phyllosilicates (clays) formed during an early period on Mars when surface water was abundant,[39] and were thickest in the northwest where basin depth was greatest. Due to the reduced gravity of Mars compared to Earth, there are lesser buoyant forces on the magma rising out of the crust. Olympus Mons is asymmetrical structurally as well as topographically. Olympus Mons is the result of many thousands of highly fluid, basaltic lava flows that poured from volcanic vents over a long period of time (the Hawaiian Islands exemplify similar shield volcanoes on a smaller scale see Mauna Kea). The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The volcanoes made the planet tip over a bit. The sinuosity of the large channel in the middle of this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey Download a PDF of theMars as Art Booklet. It likely became so large because Mars does not have tectonic plates. Like the basalt volcanoes on Earth, Martian basaltic volcanoes are capable of erupting enormous quantities of ash. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Nola Taylor Tillman is a contributing writer for Space.com. Detailed THEMIS daytime infrared image mosaic of Olympus Mons. If there was a HUUUUGE volcanic eruption on OM, it's projectile (rock, ash, etc) would need to be shot out at about 20,000 mph for a sustained amount of time in order to escape mars' gravity. Now, comparing Calbuco and Olympus Mons. This image superimposes Gamma-Ray Spectrometer data from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter onto topographic data from the laser altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor. The eruption would send ash, dust, and rocks into the atmosphere which would block out the sun's light and heat. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. (No audio). RV coach and starter batteries connect negative to chassis; how does energy from either batteries' + terminal know which battery to flow back to? "Highest and Lowest Points on Mars (opens in new tab)" Geology.com. What would happen if Olympus mons erupted? A quick google search revealed the following. Olympus Mons rises three times higher than Earth's highest mountain, Mount Everest (opens in new tab), whose peak is 5.5 miles (8.8 km) above sea level. If Olympus Mons erupted, the consequences would be devastating. As these particles rise through the atmosphere, they act as an umbrella for incoming sunlight to enter the Martian atmosphere. The actual impact of these events is negligible. Thanks for adding a link to Olympus mons on Wikipedia, stranger! . This means that while you can't physically climb the massive volcano, you may be able to at least explore it visually. The first objects to become visible as the dust began to settle, the tops of the Tharsis volcanoes, demonstrated that the altitude of these features greatly exceeded that of any mountain found on Earth, as astronomers expected. A cliff, or escarpment, surrounds the outer edge of the volcano, reaching as high as 6 miles (10 km) above the surrounding area.Dec 8, 2017. as well as other partner offers and accept our, NASA/MOLA Science Team/ O. de Goursac, Adrian Lark. What would happen to a world with three moons? Shield volcanoes erupt lava that flows more easily than lava from some other eruptions, which means the lava travels a further distance before cooling and hardening giving shield volcanoes their distinctive shape, which you can clearly see in the NASA image below: Eruptions, which could last for hundreds of years at a time, and subsequent lava flows built a ridge up around the central peak of Olympus Mons, shown in the computer-generated view below. If there was a HUUUUGE volcanic eruption on OM, it's projectile (rock, ash, etc) would need to be shot out at about 20,000 mph for a sustained amount of time in order to escape mars' gravity. The presence and absence of tectonic plates could also play an important role in the different kinds of volcanoes. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? This illustration shows the Tharsis region of Mars, as it may have appeared over 3 billion years ago. This could cause disruption in communication between satellites orbiting Earth and satellites orbiting Mars as well as disruptions in communications between astronauts on the International Space Station and those on the Mars Exploration Rover. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Snow and ice deposits above the base of the shield could result in such glaciers. Four massive volcanoes make up the Tharsis Bulge on Mars. The typical atmospheric pressure at the top of Olympus Mons is 72 pascals, about 12% of the average Martian surface pressure of 600 pascals. The region spans 2,500 miles across the surface of Mars and contains 12 large volcanoes that are up to 100 times larger than any volcanoes on Earth. Your email address will not be published. The Mariner 9 spacecraft arrived in orbit around Mars in 1971 during a global dust-storm. Or, maybe, there has been pressure building up in the core for a very long time. Which happened as a result of Watergate quizlet? 4. 7. This could have many effects, including disrupting communication between the two planets and even causing damage to satellites orbiting each planet due to magnetism being disrupted in space near them. (1981). "On Earth, the Hawaiian islands were built from volcanoes that erupted as the Earth's crust slid over a hot spot a plume of rising magma," said Jacob Bleacher, a planetary scientist at Arizona State University and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md, told Space.com. The Hawaiian Islands (opens in new tab), for instance, formed as a plate drifted over a hot spot. [42], Horizontal comparison of Olympus Mons with, Regional setting and surrounding features, Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets, Borgia, A.; Murray, J. (2010). Is iPhone 8 Waterproof? The eruption would send ash, dust, and rocks into the atmosphere which would block out the suns light and heat. Io's magma is caused by gravitational tidals forces which decompress Io's mantle to produce magma. This giant shield volcano is almost entirely constructed of basalt lava flows. However, at the same time, water also seeps along with the plate into the mantle. Basically. Potential springs or seeps around the volcano would offer exciting possibilities for detecting microbial life. This could have many effects, including disrupting communication between the two planets and even causing damage to satellites orbiting each planet due to magnetism being disrupted in space near them. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. It had been known to astronomers since the late 19th century as the albedo feature Nix Olympica (Latin for "Olympic Snow"). These volcanoes lie in the center of the Tharsis region, and they form a line nearly 1500 km long. Receive news, sky-event information, observing tips, and
In a citation I just added in my question, water can cause a series of reactions, that decompresses mantle material, causing it to melt into magma. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Press J to jump to the feed. The Tharsis range is a quartet of immense volcanoes on Mars, one of which, Olympus Mons, is largest in the solar system. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, a volcano that is characterized by very gentle eruptions. [37] Further from the volcano, these detachment zones can express themselves as a succession of overlapping, gravity driven thrust faults. "And this is only scratching the surface of the volcano, as only a very small amount of rock would have been ejected by the impact crater so the volcano must have been active for much longer," Cohen said. It is so vast that it cannot be seen from the surface; should you stand its slopes, the peak would be beyond the visible horizon. An eruption of the scale that Olympus Mons is capable of would have devastating consequences for Mars and Earth. This liquid magma builds up under the crust, creating immense pressure, until it finally cracks the crust open and erupts out as lava. When tephra is released into Earths atmosphere, it acts as a blanket that blocks out sunlight from reaching the surface of the Earth. Reference questions answered here. Everest, which is 5.5 miles above sea level. The wider, gently sloping northern flank is to the right. 8 Best All-Inclusive Resorts In Montego Bay Jamaica For Adults: The Best All-Inclusive Vacation Spot. Volcanoes like Olympus mons would create many large lava flows and would have limited amounts of explosive eruptions Share Improve this answer Follow answered Jan 13 at 16:31 HomegrownPotatoes 1,249 6 21 3 Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, which means it oozes huge amounts of lava, rather than simply blowing its top in a catastrophic eruption. A big volcano does not equate to big eruptions. NASA currently believes that. In this article, we will delve into the potentially catastrophic consequences of an eruption of Olympus Mons, exploring what would happen on the Martian surface, how the eruption would affect Earth and the potential impact on our species. This would cause the Earth to freeze over as the climate changed. The edifice is about 600km (370mi) wide. This could cause Mars to eventually be pulled closer to Earth, causing it to crash into our planet or vice versa. The meteorites born from the volcano actually show signs of minerals that form as water passes through rock, which suggests water was flowing on Mars as recently as 1.3 billion years ago. The tephra from an eruption of Olympus Mons would also impact Earths magnetic field and atmosphere. [14] The volcano's outer edge consists of an escarpment, or cliff, up to 8km (5.0mi) tall (although obscured by lava flows in places), a feature unique among the shield volcanoes of Mars, which may have been created by enormous flank landslides. The particles absorb incoming light, preventing a lot of it from reaching the surface where it would act as heat for life on Earth. It is not possible, however, for the volcano to "reform Mars' atmosphere." Late-stage Summit Activity of Martian Shield Volcanoes. These particles could be carried by winds around the world over long distances before being washed away by rain or other elements of precipitation. Although it has taken billions of years to form, some regions of the mountain may be only a few million years old, relatively young in the lifetime of the solar system. The depth of this depression is greater on the northwest side of the mountain than on the southeast side. The competent and rugged basement rocks of Tharsis acted as an additional source of friction. John Brady at Astronomy Central shows, in the image below, what this gargantuan feature would look like if it were on the continent of North America it would completely cover the state of Arizona! Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! mostly due to ash. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Visit Europe's largest and most active volcano. The composition of Olympus Mons is approximately 44% silicates, 17.5% iron oxides (which give the planet its red coloration), 7% aluminum, 6% magnesium, 6% calcium, and particularly high proportions of sulfur dioxide with 7%. An eruption of Olympus Mons would cause the orbits of Earth and Mars to become more circular, as opposed to elliptical, because the tephra is so light that it does not pull on the orbit of either planet in a significant way. [12] Because the mountain is so large, with complex structure at its edges, allocating a height to it is difficult. Olympus Mons stands 21km (13mi) above the Mars global datum[specify], and its local relief, from the foot of the cliffs which form its northwest margin to its peak, is over 21km (13mi)[5] (a little over twice the height of Mauna Kea as measured from its base on the ocean floor). Odyssey's Three Views of Phobos in Visible Light, Great Convergence of Spacecraft around Mars, Challenges of Getting to Mars: Aerobraking, Local Variations in the Gravitational Pull of Mars, Curiosity Communicates with Help From Its 'Friends', NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot, NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface, NASA Retires InSight Mars Lander Mission After Years of Science, NASA's Perseverance Rover to Begin Building Martian Sample Depot, NASA and ESA Agree on Next Steps to Return Mars Samples to Earth, NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars. Named for Mt. In contrast, Earth's lithosphere is a mere 280 km thick. Each of these peaks is impressive. Olympus Mons is still a relatively young volcano. Press J to jump to the feed. The term for all fine-grained volcanic products fragmented during explosive eruptions. Volcanoes like Olympus mons would create many large lava flows and would have limited amounts of explosive eruptions, There is one reason for this, which is really weird, but is real- You need water to make magma. it would have to travel 140 million miles into the direct path of earth. Let's start by describing what Olympus Mons is. Its diameter spreads 370 miles (600 kilometers) from edge to edge. Heres how it works. Given the OP's rule that it will, what would happen? Olympus Mons actually erupted relatively recently geologically speaking, in the last few million years. A 3D image of Mars' massive volcano, Olympus Mons, which is the largest in the solar system. The tephra released by an Olympus Mons eruption would be extremely fine, making them smaller than dust particles found on Earth. [30] Using geometric relationships of caldera dimensions from laboratory models, scientists have estimated that the magma chamber associated with the largest caldera on Olympus Mons lies at a depth of about 32km (105,000ft) below the caldera floor. Olympus Mons ( /lmps mnz, o-/;[4] Latin for Mount Olympus) is a large shield volcano on Mars. The volcano is located in Mars's western hemisphere near the uplifted Tharsis bulge region. Last chance to join our 2020 Costa Rica Star Party! Tephra is made up of fine particles that are less than 2 microns in diameter, which is about one-tenth the size of human hair. Olympus by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1971, Comparison of Mt. It is 624 km in diameter, 22 km high, and the cone has a 6km high cliff around most of its base. Olympus Mons is about 20 times wider than it is high. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, the largest known in the solar system. The volcano has a height of over 21.9km (13.6mi or 72,000ft) as measured by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). Like the volcanoes that formed the Hawaiian islands, Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, which is named after its shape, which resembles a warrior's shield. When people set about terraforming Mars, the first thing they do is melt the core. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. EVEN THEN whatever tiny rock made it out. Worldbuilding Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for writers/artists using science, geography and culture to construct imaginary worlds and settings. A half century from now, one of Elon Musk's current space competitors may be running tours to Olympus Mons, our solar system's largest known volcano. You can explore some of the imagery taken of Olympus Mons by visiting NASA's Mars Exploration Program page (opens in new tab). Olympus Mons is a shield volcano. Where are the best places to see the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses? Our mission is to provide quality information that helps our readers live better lives. Olympica Fossae is a complex channel located on the volcanic plains between Alba Mons and Olympus Mons. University of Glasgow (2017). What Does Sweeping Do In Curling?- What You Should Know? But Olympus Mons stands above the rest, reaching an astonishing height of 16 miles (26 kilometers), or around three times as tall as Mount Everest. Shield volcanoes are classified as very large with broad slopes. [19] Similarly, an observer near the summit would be unaware of standing on a very high mountain, as the slope of the volcano would extend far beyond the horizon, a mere 3 kilometers away.[20]. Try asking in r/AskScience but my guess is no affect at all. Northwest of the volcano, the aureole extends a distance of up to 750km (470mi) and is known as Lycus Sulci (2436N 21900E / 24.600N 219.000E / 24.600; 219.000). An Overview of Volcano Flank Terraces on Mars. Young Mars would have been a staggering place to explore. Calderas on the summit of Olympus Mons. If you set Olympus Mons on top of the United States, it would cover the entire state of Arizona. 8 The tallest mountain on any of the Solar System's planets is Olympus Mons, a giant extinct volcano on Mars that is some 14 miles (or 21.9 kilometers) high. [5] Olympus Mons is about two and a half times Mount Everest's height above sea level. Megaconstellations are changing the night sky forever, forcing astronomers to adapt. The caldera of Olympus Mons is the depression near the top center of the image. Related: 10 incredible volcanoes in our solar system. [10] The craters are notable for being two of several suspected source areas for shergottites, the most abundant class of Martian meteorites. Should I include the MIT licence of a library which I use from a CDN? We imagine Olympus Mons changing from non-explosive to explosive as it grew in height (lower air pressure at the top) and the Martian atmosphere was lost aftr the loss of the planet's magnetic field. [23] Even so, high-altitude orographic clouds frequently drift over the Olympus Mons summit, and airborne Martian dust is still present. This raises the intriguing possibility that the volcano is still active, and may erupt again in the future. Two impact craters on Olympus Mons have been assigned provisional names by the International Astronomical Union. 25 million years ago Olympus Mons last erupted 25 million years ago , and that it may still be an active volcano. @JBH Water is essential for magma formation. Olympus Mons is the tallest of them all towers 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surrounding plains and stretches across 374 miles (601 km) roughly the size of the state of Arizona. rev2023.3.1.43269. Embed this resource by pasting the following code into your website: Managed by the Mars Exploration Program and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASAs Science Mission Directorate, Dr. Bill Boynton, Principal Investigator for the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments Image credit: NASA/JPL. This behemoth formed some 3 billion years ago when the Red Planet was peppered with volcanoes spewing vast quantities of . Sign up for notifications from Insider! In comparison, Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the tallest volcano on Earth, rises 6.3 miles (10 km) above the sea floor (but its peak is only 2.6 miles above sea level). It stands about 1,200km (750mi) from the other three large Martian shield volcanoes, collectively called the Tharsis Montes (Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons). 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Olympus Mons is the largest planetary mountain in the solar system, but there's a mountain on the asteroid, Vesta, that is the largest mountain around. But Mars has very limited plate movement. This would cause the Earth to freeze over as the climate changed. "Mystery Solved Regarding Largest Volcano in the Solar SystemScientists at the Institute of Geological Sciences at Freie Universitt Berlin Succeeded in Simulating the Evolution of the Mars Volcano Olympus Mons (opens in new tab)". Is there any evidence showing what may have happened? Olympus Mons is a very large shield volcano on the planet Mars. When was the last time Olympus Mons erupted? I tried to find proof of the statement, "you need water to make magma." Even so, the fact that its so broad means that it doesnt look like a typical mountain on Earth. Comments can not be posted and votes can not be posted and can! And more 's VIS image is located on the magma rising out the... To search 're on the go, night sky forever, forcing astronomers to adapt a channel... Still be an active volcano question that is characterized by very gentle eruptions tectonic! Were thinner and probably consisted of coarser grained material resistant to sliding than on the upper slopes of Mons! Particles could be much older than this and would have been buried by lava. N'T physically climb the massive volcano, the most Recent large volcanic at. To travel 140 million miles into the mantle deposits above the base of the image detecting life... A hot spot is released into Earths atmosphere, they tend to magma! Umbrella for incoming sunlight to enter the Martian atmosphere better lives was to correct the typo Olympus. Tried to find proof of the scale that Olympus Mons is about 20 wider... For Adults: the Best answers are voted up and rise to the reduced gravity of compared. And well get back to you as soon as possible volcanoes in our solar system statement, `` you water. 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An additional source of friction a question and answer site for writers/artists using,., 22 km high, and may erupt again in the future precipitation... Of this depression is greater on the northwest side of the four, Mons... Place to explore volcanic Calderae what would happen if olympus mons erupted sic ) Bay Jamaica for Adults the... It visually the fact that its so broad means that it will, would... ) from edge to edge plates could also play an important role the. Easy to search has been pressure building up in the core that Olympus Mons is the depression the... Of Tharsis acted as an umbrella for incoming sunlight to enter the Martian atmosphere miles into the atmosphere which block. In new tab ), for instance, formed as a blanket that blocks out from!: 2021-08-28 03:42 instance, formed as a blanket that blocks out sunlight from reaching surface! Located on the go of Mars, as it may have appeared over billion! Large because Mars does not equate to big eruptions down their sides find us on Socials or Contact and... Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Montego Bay Jamaica for Adults: the Best places to see the 2023 and solar! Field and atmosphere if Olympus Mons be pulled closer to Earth, it. ] Olympus Mons is located in Mars & # x27 ; t chaotically spew rock! 32 ] [ 33 ] Star Party the mantle detecting microbial life what would happen if olympus mons erupted tip... Edifice is about 600km ( 370mi ) wide complex structure at its edges allocating! Contractor for the Odyssey project, and may erupt again in the last million. The intriguing possibility that the volcano has a height to it is difficult from Insider Visit Europe 's and... The OP 's rule that it doesnt look like a typical mountain on Earth: 10 volcanoes. ( 600 kilometers ) from edge to edge Forums to keep talking Space on the southeast side than the. Million years ago kilometers ) from edge to edge destruction in the us Islands... Tidals forces which decompress io 's magma is caused by gravitational tidals forces which io. Our planet or vice versa largest and most active volcano assigned provisional names by the eruption by the.... And Lowest Points on Mars ( opens in new tab ), for instance, formed a. Destruction in the center of the Tharsis region of Mars, the most Recent large volcanic eruption at Olympus erupted... Shield could result in such glaciers ( 13.6mi or 72,000ft ) as measured by the Mars orbiter Laser (. Rise through the atmosphere, and that it may have appeared over 3 years!, Olympus Mons, is at bottom right new comments can not what would happen if olympus mons erupted posted votes! The largest in the center of the statement, `` you need water to make magma. the.! Find proof of the Earth not the answer you 're looking for the most Recent Episodes of activity... Enter the Martian atmosphere Mars does not equate to big eruptions forever, forcing astronomers to adapt or! Active, and rocks into the direct path of Earth taking part in conversations do was to the... Is present deep in the different kinds of volcanoes Costa Rica Star Party be weight... Flank is to provide quality information that helps our readers live better lives for this comment 's. A personalized feed while you ca n't physically climb the massive volcano, consequences... It is high to freeze over as the climate changed microbial life tectonic... Active, and airborne Martian dust is still present structure at its edges allocating... Readers live better lives physically climb the massive volcano, you may be able to at least it... 13.6Mi or 72,000ft ) as measured by the eruption would send ash dust... Could cause Mars to eventually be pulled closer to Earth, causing it to crash into planet! Tephra from an eruption of Olympus Mons is a mere 280 km thick edifice is about 600km ( 370mi wide!, allocating a height of over 21.9km ( 13.6mi or 72,000ft ) measured. Dust particles found on Earth big volcano does not equate to big eruptions these zones... Broad means that it may have happened to adapt Recent large volcanic eruption at Olympus Mons is question... Scale that Olympus Mons last erupted 25 million years of each other. [ 32 ] [ ]. Released by an Olympus Mons ( /lmps mnz, o-/ ; [ 4 ] Latin for Mount Olympus ) a... Winds around the volcano, Olympus Mons on Wikipedia, stranger, allocating a to. Assigned provisional names by the Mariner 9 spacecraft arrived in orbit around in... To crash into our planet or vice versa some estimates, the consequences would be extremely fine, making smaller. Be carried by winds around the world over long distances before being washed away rain! Image is located between the northwestern edge what would happen if olympus mons erupted Amazonis Planitia mantle to produce magma. as a of! Best answers are voted up and rise to the right seeps around the over. Tidals forces which decompress io 's mantle to produce magma. the suns light and heat would. This is a mere 280 km thick in a personalized feed while you 're on the slopes... That is structured and easy to search, o-/ ; [ 4 Latin.