A gigantic volcano 9,022 meters high and almost 450 kilometers wide has been discovered on Mars: imaged several times by successive space missions since 1971, it was not recognized for decades due to the deep erosion it underwent .
On its slopes there could be a layer of buried ice and for this reason the site could be ideal for robotic exploration and the search for possible traces of life.
This was announced by researchers from SETI and the Mars Institute on the occasion of the 55th Lunar & Planetary Science Conference in Texas.
The volcano, provisionally called 'Noctis volcano', was identified on the border between the Noctis Labirinthus area and the Valles Marineris canyons thanks to data from various ESA and NASA probes, including Mariner 9, Viking, Mro and Mars Express.
Its gigantic size and complex geological history and evolution indicate that the volcano has been active for a long time.
The buried layer of ice could be what remains of the last episode of glaciation that affected the region.
While it is clear that the volcano has been active for a long time and began forming early in Mars' history, it is not known exactly when this occurred.
It is also unclear whether it is still active and whether the combination of prolonged heat and frozen water may have favored the development of life forms.
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