<p>Per <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.05956" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this article</a>, the most recent volcanic activity on Mars might be less than 1 million (Earth) years old. Pyroclastic deposits in Elysium Planitia were dated thanks to impact craters and were found to be very young.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-12T14:57:39.387Z
2020-11-12T14:57:39.387Z
usernumber
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.2002.6920" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Berman and Hartman (2002)</a> dated some lava flows of the Athabasca–Marte Valles system at &lt; 20 Ma (mega-annum). Later, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2009.06.032" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vaucher et al. (2009)</a> dated lava flows of the same region, finding ages even younger in some cases (around 2.5 Ma). In both studies the age estimates are derived from surface morphology (i.e., crater counts).</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Volcanoes%3A+Global+Perspectives-p-9781405162494" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Volcanoes: Global Perspectives</a>, Lockwood &amp; Hazlett go even further (emphasis mine):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Unlike Earth’s Moon, volcanic activity may be far from over on Mars. Detailed photographic studies by NASA’s Global Surveyor starting in 1997, and the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera, which began orbiting Mars in December of 2003, provide evidence of effusive volcanism perhaps as young as 2–2.5 million years, with flows mantling the flanks of Olympus Mons erupted mostly within the past 200 million years. <em>It cannot be assumed that Mars is now internally cold and volcanically dead, and in fact, volatile efflux may still be in progress</em>.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T18:01:28.113Z
I assume Ma means mega anno, so 10^6 years?
Polygnome
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T18:35:30.237Z
Yeah sorry, I'm used to the geology abreviation, not the astronomy one...
Jean-Marie Prival
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-01T15:16:03.757Z
@Polygnome and,  Earth years, not Mars years, tho'  geologists don't care much about factors of 2 :-)
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T12:57:01.903Z
2021-09-02T11:38:11.640Z
2021-09-02T11:38:11.640Z
Jean-Marie Prival
<p>There are several volcanoes on Mars, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, the volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge,... But they are all thought to be inactive now.</p>
<p>When did the last volcano erupt on Mars?</p>

<mars><geology><volcanism>
When was the last volcanic eruption on Mars?
usernumber
# When was the last volcanic eruption on Mars?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-29)

There are several volcanoes on Mars, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, the volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge,... But they are all thought to be inactive now.

When did the last volcano erupt on Mars?

**Tags:** mars, geology, volcanism


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-29. Score: 14 | Accepted answer

[Berman and Hartman (2002)](https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.2002.6920) dated some lava flows of the Athabasca–Marte Valles system at < 20 Ma (mega-annum). Later, [Vaucher et al. (2009)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2009.06.032) dated lava flows of the same region, finding ages even younger in some cases (around 2.5 Ma). In both studies the age estimates are derived from surface morphology (i.e., crater counts).

In [Volcanoes: Global Perspectives](https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Volcanoes%3A+Global+Perspectives-p-9781405162494), Lockwood & Hazlett go even further (emphasis mine):

> Unlike Earth’s Moon, volcanic activity may be far from over on Mars. Detailed photographic studies by NASA’s Global Surveyor starting in 1997, and the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera, which began orbiting Mars in December of 2003, provide evidence of effusive volcanism perhaps as young as 2–2.5 million years, with flows mantling the flanks of Olympus Mons erupted mostly within the past 200 million years. *It cannot be assumed that Mars is now internally cold and volcanically dead, and in fact, volatile efflux may still be in progress*.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I assume Ma means mega anno, so 10^6 years?  
> **username_1**: Yeah sorry, I'm used to the geology abreviation, not the astronomy one...  
> **username_3**: @username_2 and,  Earth years, not Mars years, tho'  geologists don't care much about factors of 2 :-)  

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### Answer by username_0 on 2020-11-12. Score: 2

Per [this article](https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.05956), the most recent volcanic activity on Mars might be less than 1 million (Earth) years old. Pyroclastic deposits in Elysium Planitia were dated thanks to impact craters and were found to be very young.


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