Using Earth to Understand How Water May Have Affected Volcanoes on Mars

This scientific data visualization shows the evolution of the newly-erupted island in the Kingdom of Tonga. Results of this study can enhance our understanding of numerous small volcanic landforms on Mars whose formation may have been in shallow-water environments during epochs when persistent surface water was present.

Learn more about the evolution of Earth's newest island and how it could reveal new infomration about the presence of water on Mars:

Monitoring and Modeling the Rapid Evolution of EArth's Newest Volcanic Island: Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai (Tonga) Using High Spatial Resolution Satellite Observations

Authors: J.B. Garvin, D.A. Slayback, V. Ferrini, J. Frawley, C. Giguere, G.R. Asrar, K. Anderson

Pages: 3445-3452 l First Published: 26 March 2018

- Volumetric erosion for new hydromagmatic island is approximately 0.0026km3/year
- Demostrated first meter-scale documentation of landscapes and topography for a new volcanic island over its initial stages of evolution (approximately 3 years)
- Satellite-based measurements of news island predict lifetime of up to approximately 42 years

This video is an abridged version of the original video.