Recent research reveals that Mars’ most recent volcanic activity wasn’t a series of simple eruptions, but a prolonged and evolving process driven by complex subsurface magma systems. The study, led by Dr. Bartosz Pieterek of Adam Mickiewicz University, offers unprecedented detail on the volcanic evolution of Pavonis Mons, one of the largest volcanoes on the Red Planet.
Long-Lived Magmatic Systems
For decades, planetary geologists have sought to understand how rocky planets like Mars and Earth build and reshape their surfaces. This new study demonstrates that even during Mars’ latest volcanic period, magma systems beneath the surface remained remarkably active and complex.
The research challenges the idea that volcanic eruptions are isolated events. Instead, it suggests that many eruptions are the result of long-term processes occurring deep underground, where magma moves, evolves, and changes over extended periods.
Reconstructing Volcanic Evolution
Researchers combined detailed surface mapping with orbital mineral data to reconstruct the volcanic history south of Pavonis Mons. The results show the volcanic system developed through several eruptive phases, beginning with lava flowing through fissures and later shifting to cone-forming vents.
Despite differences in how these lava flows appear on the surface, they were all fed by the same underlying magma system. Each phase left behind a distinct mineral signature, allowing scientists to track how the magma changed over time.
Evolving Magma
“These mineral differences tell us that the magma itself was evolving,” Dr. Pieterek explained. “This likely reflects changes in how deep the magma originated and how long it was stored beneath the surface before erupting.”
The findings are particularly significant because direct sampling of Martian volcanoes is currently impossible. Orbital observations, like those used in this study, offer rare insight into the planet’s interior structure and evolution.
This research underscores the power of orbital observations in revealing hidden complexity within volcanic systems, not just on Mars but also on other rocky planets.
The study was published on January 29, 2026, in the journal Geology. (DOI: 10.1130/G53969.1)
The new findings show that understanding the subsurface magma systems is essential for accurately interpreting the volcanic history of Mars. This means that previous assessments of Martian volcanic activity may have underestimated the complexity of the planet’s inner dynamics.
