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

Justin FilibertoLunar 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

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

-200000 -150000 -100000 -50000 0 50000 100000 150000 200000

KraflaHawaiiColumbia River Basalt GroupEtnaMt Hood

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

-80000 -60000 -40000 -20000 0 20000 40000 60000 80000

KraflaHawaiiEtnaMt Hood

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 VolcanoesSeen byMessengerSpacecraft

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

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

-500000 -400000 -300000 -200000 -100000 0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000

KraflaHawaiiEtnaMt HoodTheia MonsSapas 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

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

-500000 -400000 -300000 -200000 -100000 0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000

KraflaHawaiiColumbia River Basalt GroupEtnaMt HoodTheia MonsSapas MonsGruitheuisen Domes

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

-80000 -60000 -40000 -20000 0 20000 40000 60000 80000

KraflaHawaiiEtnaMt HoodGruitheuisen Domes

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

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

-500000 -400000 -300000 -200000 -100000 0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000

KraflaHawaiiColumbia River Basalt GroupEtnaMt HoodOlympus MonsArsia MonsTharsis TholusTheia MonsSapas MonsGruitheuisen 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?