The discovery of tridymite in Mars’s Gale Crater triggered debate about the rare mineral’s origins. A research team recently suggested a scenario with explosive implications.
planetary surfaces
Posted inNews
Moon’s Porosity Changes Cratering History, Study Says
Gravity field measurements from decade-old lunar orbiter provide a proxy for counting craters.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
An Impact Basin Thermometer for the Moon
Large impact basins on the near side of the Moon lack the annulus of thickened crust that far-side basins have. The difference can be linked to the thermal structure of the lunar crust.
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The Bumpy Search for Liquid Water at the South Pole of Mars
Studies since 2018 have provided competing explanations of bright radar reflections from the base of the south polar ice cap.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
What Happened When the Lithosphere of Venus Broke?
Although Venus does not have plate tectonics today, previous episodes of intense tectonic activity could have resulted in a distribution of crustal thickness and age resembling the plate we see today.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A Clearer Look at Lunar Surface Hydration
Independent ground-based observations of the Moon confirm prior spacecraft observations that hydration at the lunar surface varies with temperature.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Self-Repairing Blemishes on the Surface of Mars
A new study of small impact craters at Mars landing sites suggests that active processes degrade and infill depressions at similar rates in locations separated by thousands of kilometers.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Insights from Calibration of the HP³ Radiometer on InSight
A detailed analysis of Heatflow and Physical Properties Package Radiometer on the Mars InSight lander, including changing instrument sensitivity and calibration coefficients.
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Scientists Float a New Theory on the Medusae Fossae Formation
Pumice-like rafts of lightweight material could have carried volcanic debris across an ancient Martian ocean to build one of the most puzzling features on the Red Planet.
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Shedding Light on the Darkest Regions of the Moon
An international team of researchers is analyzing boulder tracks to learn more about some of the most elusive regions on the Moon.