Volcanism in the Solar SystemVolcanism in the Solar SystemPart 1: Inner Solar SystemPart 1: Inner Solar System

Justin Filiberto

Lunar and Planetary Institute

Plan of TalkPlan of Talk1. Earth - review2. Inner Solar System

• Mercury • Venus• Moon• Mars

3. Outer Solar System• Io• Enceladus• Titan• Triton

4. Summarize Volcanoes in the Solar System

Earth’s Shield VolcanoesEarth’s Shield Volcanoes

Earth’s Composite/StratovolcanosEarth’s Composite/Stratovolcanos

Shield vs. CompositeShield vs. Composite

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Krafla

Hawaii

Columbia River Basalt Group

Etna

Mt Hood

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Earth’s Earth’s VolcanoesVolcanoes

• Cinder Cone

• Caldera Complex

• Lava Flows

• Tuff Ring

• And many more…

MercuryMercury

Mercury

Earth• From Sun (AU)

0.39 1.0• Mean radius (km)

2434 6371• Mass (1024kg)

3.30 5.98

• Surface T (K) 340 295

• Gravity (m s-2) 3.7

9.8

Mercury

Volcanoes

Seen by

Messenger

Spacecraft

more to come…

MercuryMercury

VenusVenus

Venus Earth• From Sun (AU) 0.72 1.0• Mean radius (km) 6052 6371• Mass (1024kg) 4.87 5.98• Surface T (K) 735 295• Gravity (m s-2) 8.9 9.8

Venus Surface Landers: Venus Surface Landers: Venera & VEGAVenera & VEGA

Vener a 13 Surface

SiO2 45.1 TiO2 1.6 Al2O3 15.8 Fe2O3 -- FeO 9.3 MnO 0.3 MgO 11.4 CaO 7.1 Na2O -- K2O 4.00 SO3 1.6 Sum 96.1

Sapas MonsSapas Mons• 400 km

across, 1.5 km tall

• Slope ~ 0.5°

• Very long flows

• What type of Volcano?

Maat MonsMaat Mons• JPL Press Image 20x

Vertical Exaggeration• Unexaggerated …• What type of Volcano?

Pancake DomesPancake Domes

• Single Flows, Steep sides

• Height 1/2 - 1 km.

• What kind of volcano?

• What kind of lava?

Pancake DomesPancake Domes

• Rhyolite?• Or merely cold,

crystal-rich basalt?

• What kind of volcano?

• What kind of lava?

??

• Low cones in flat lava plains

• A few km diam. (5 km for inset)

• What type of lava?

• What kind of volcano?

Venus vs. EarthVenus vs. Earth

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Theia Mons

Sapas Mons

MoonMoon

• 1/3 diam of Earth

• 1/6 gravity

• Dark, low, mare plains.

Mare PlainsMare Plains

ChannelsChannels

DomesDomes

• Gruithuisen domes• 20 km across, 1.2 km

tall. Avg ~7° slope; steepest ~20°.

• Are these volcanic?• If so, what are they

most like on Earth?

Gruithuisen DomesGruithuisen Domes

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Etna

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Theia Mons

Sapas Mons

Gruitheuisen Domes

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MarsMars

Mars Earth• From Sun (AU) 1.5 1.0• Mean radius (km) 3386 6371• Mass (1024kg) 0.642 5.98• Surface T (K) 227 295• Gravity (m s-2) 3.7 9.8

Olympus MonsOlympus Mons

• 640 x 840 km across

• 21 km tall

• Avg slope 5°

• What kind of volcano?

• What kind of lava?

Lava Flows on Lava Flows on O.M. 1O.M. 1

<-- - - - - 3 km - - - - -->

Tharsis TholusTharsis Tholus

• 150 km across

• 8 km tall

• What kind of volcano?

• What kind of lava?

• Small Hill

• Steep Slope, ~30°

• Surrounded by thin lava flows

• What is it?

On Syrtis Major, a Shield On Syrtis Major, a Shield VolcanoVolcano

• Broken Cinder Cone?

On Syrtis Major, a Shield VolcanoOn Syrtis Major, a Shield Volcano

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Olympus Mons

Arsia Mons

Tharsis Tholus

Theia Mons

Sapas Mons

Gruitheuisen Domes

Inner Solar System SummaryInner Solar System Summary• What features?

• Types of volcanoes? Lava compositions?

• Similarities? Differences? Generalities?

• What types of volcanoes are common to the Earth only? Why?

• What types of volcanoes are common in the inner solar system?

• What does this suggest about the cooling histories of the inner planets?

Some questions to ponderSome questions to ponder

• What types of volcanoes are common to the Earth only? Why?

• What types of volcanoes are common in the inner solar system but not the outer? Why?

• What does this suggest about the cooling histories of the inner planets? Outer planets?

Some questions to ponderSome questions to ponder

• From the volcanoes we have seen which ones would we expect on which planets?

• What do they suggest about other planets?

• Since most of us do not live near a volcano, how can students connect volcanoes on the Earth and other planets?