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Tag Archives: olivine
Dikes: key link between Thaumasia Planum, Tharsis, and Valles Marineris?
The area called Syria-Thaumasia is a big triangular block of Mars just east of three giant Tharsis volcanos: Arsia, Pavonis, and Ascraeus Montes. Valles Marineris bounds the block on the north, while its southwest and southeast sides are defined by … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arsia Mons, Ascraeus Mons, dikes, olivine, Pavonis Mons, Syria-Thaumasia, Tharsis, Thaumasia, Thaumasia Planum, Valles Marineris, volcanism, wrinkle ridges
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Changing times in Syrtis Major
Early Mars appears to have been highly unlike today, being warmer and wetter. To find out why and how the environment changed, scientists look for inflection points in Martian history, where one geological regime gives way to another. A report … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged clays, CRISM, Isidis Planitia, lava, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MRO, olivine, phyllosilicates, Syrtis Major
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Microbes in a cave, eating rock
Life abounds on Earth, where it lives in every possible ecological niche, including deep in the crust. This comes from biology’s reproductive drive plus natural selection’s creativity in matching organisms’ needs with what nature provides. But what about Mars, where … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged astrobiology, ice, lava tubes, life, Newberry volcano, olivine, Pseudomonas
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Cracks in the basement
When geological forces open a crack in bedrock, molten magma can squeeze in and widen it, after which the magma cools and hardens in place. The result is a dike, and such features let geologists delve into an outcrop’s history … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Coprates Chasma, CRISM, dikes, HiRISE, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, olivine, pyroxene, Tharsis, Valles Marineris, volcanic activity
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