<p>I recently saw a video lecture given that went through a calculation of how the size of volcanoes is related to the mass of a planet.  I don't remember the details or the math but the conclusion was that the smaller the planet the bigger the volcano.  This explains why Olympus Mons on Mars is so much bigger than anything on earth.  I can find a link to the lecture if that will help.  The equations are given in the lecture.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-05T05:55:35.120Z
that could help
Lucian09474
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-04T01:36:41.263Z
2015-07-04T01:36:41.263Z
see you
<p>"Maars usually form when magma rises within a fissure and interacts with groundwater. If groundwater ceases to interact with magma at times during the eruption, continued magma ascent to the surface gives rise to a wide range of volcanic forms and products associated closely with maar-diatreme volcanoes." </p>

<p>Currently I am trying to compare maars on Earth to maars of Mars. </p>

<p><strong><em>How would the gravity of Mars affect the crater formation from the explosion that formed the crater on Mars?</em></strong></p>

<p>Database of maars crater on Earth show that maars are typically not circular some are very eccentric. Current hypothesis says is because rather than one explosion forming the crater a multitude of continuous explosions formed the crater also needed to form the bigger craters such as the devil mountain lake in Alaska the largest in the world. </p>

<p>My guess is less gravity means that we need less energy to create a crater as big as the ones on Earth. There is evidence of water on mars. There are millions of crater on mars. There is some evidence for volcanic activity. </p>

<p>To put it simply, the explosion is essentially caused by a quick transfer of heat between magma and water. Analogous to throwing water droplets to a pot with hot oil in the stove, it starts splattering all around. (Don't try this at home) </p>

<p>A human tries this experiment on Mars. Same quantity of oil, same heat source and temperature. The only difference is gravity. if on Earth it generated X amount of joules of energy. Will Human on mars get X + some other amount or X - some other amount simply because of <strong>Gravitational Difference</strong></p>

<geophysics><geology><geochemistry><planetary-science>
Mars maar craters explosive style formation gravitational effect
Lucian09474
# Mars maar craters explosive style formation gravitational effect

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-30)

"Maars usually form when magma rises within a fissure and interacts with groundwater. If groundwater ceases to interact with magma at times during the eruption, continued magma ascent to the surface gives rise to a wide range of volcanic forms and products associated closely with maar-diatreme volcanoes."

Currently I am trying to compare maars on Earth to maars of Mars.

***How would the gravity of Mars affect the crater formation from the explosion that formed the crater on Mars?***

Database of maars crater on Earth show that maars are typically not circular some are very eccentric. Current hypothesis says is because rather than one explosion forming the crater a multitude of continuous explosions formed the crater also needed to form the bigger craters such as the devil mountain lake in Alaska the largest in the world.

My guess is less gravity means that we need less energy to create a crater as big as the ones on Earth. There is evidence of water on mars. There are millions of crater on mars. There is some evidence for volcanic activity.

To put it simply, the explosion is essentially caused by a quick transfer of heat between magma and water. Analogous to throwing water droplets to a pot with hot oil in the stove, it starts splattering all around. (Don't try this at home)

A human tries this experiment on Mars. Same quantity of oil, same heat source and temperature. The only difference is gravity. if on Earth it generated X amount of joules of energy. Will Human on mars get X + some other amount or X - some other amount simply because of **Gravitational Difference**

**Tags:** geophysics, geology, geochemistry, planetary-science


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I recently saw a video lecture given that went through a calculation of how the size of volcanoes is related to the mass of a planet. I don't remember the details or the math but the conclusion was that the smaller the planet the bigger the volcano. This explains why Olympus Mons on Mars is so much bigger than anything on earth. I can find a link to the lecture if that will help. The equations are given in the lecture.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: that could help  

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