A collapsed Mars lava chamber seen from space

Lava tubes and chambers appeal to quite a lot of consideration as potential websites for bases on the moon and Mars. They supply safety from radiation, from temperature swings, and even from meteorites. They beg to be explored.

Volcanoes are simply the obvious and the most important manifestations of a planet’s volcanic activity. In actuality, most of what creates a volcano occurs deep underground. That is true of Earth and Mars.

A volcano happens when magma, ash, and gases erupt from a magma chamber beneath the floor of a planet. (Or moon, in Io’s case.) You may’t miss the volcano itself, which rise nicely above the floor and spew ash excessive into the environment. However what’s hidden is what goes on underground.

Volcanic exercise can transfer an infinite quantity of liquid rock, pushing it round and forming an interconnected community of lava tubes and chambers. The lava can drain away, leaving an empty cave or tube. Generally the roof collapses, forming what’s often called a skylight. There are various of them on the moon, the place they’ve attracted everybody’s consideration. The skylight can present quick access to what could possibly be underground refuges in some circumstances.

Mars has them too, and NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured a picture of 1 with its HiRISE digicam.

It is within the Hephaestus Fossae Area in Utopia Planitia on Mars. Hephaestus Fossae is a system of channels and troughs. It is linked to the close by Elysium volcanic middle, and soften water from a close-by influence might have helped create it, too. There’s some uncertainty.

Lava tubes may present an answer to one of many obstacles confronting human exploration of Mars. The typical floor radiation on Mars is 40 to 50 instances stronger than on Earth, however thick overhead rock may present safety. Mars additionally experiences wild temperature swings from 20°C right down to -152°C. A temperature-controlled habitat buffered by all of the overhead rock may defend astronauts and gear from these swings.

There are every kind of concepts the way to discover all these options. China is creating plans to discover lunar lava tubes, and even construct a base in a single. So by the point we make it to Mars, we’ll have already got our toes moist and can be higher outfitted to make use of lava tubes to our benefit.

At the moment, Mars exploration focuses on one huge query: Did Mars ever help life? So our missions head to locations the place we would discover the proof. That often means sediments that would protect the proof we need. MSL Curiosity is at Gale Crater, Perserverance is at Jezero Crater, and the ESA’s upcoming Rosalind Franklin rover will land at Oxia Planum.

None of our missions are aimed toward exploring lava tubes. However one day we are going to discover them, and this one in Hephaestus Fossae could possibly be a superb place to start out.

It may find yourself being a secure dwelling away from dwelling.