ExoMars Orbiter Links Mars Gas Spikes to Fissures Near Alba Mons
The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter detected early-summer hydrogen chloride spikes above fissures on Alba Mons, Mars. A team led by Alexander Trokhimovskiy argues the gas may be seeping from a dormant magma system, but researchers have not observed an eruption or new lava flow.
Bottom line — The Alba Mons fissures are a possible target in the search for Martian hydrothermal habitats, not evidence of life.
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The orbiter first detected hydrogen chloride in Mars’s atmosphere in 2021; most of the gas’s seasonal variation appears linked to dust and water cycles.
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The unusual spikes recur above Alba Mons during northern early summer, after winter frost sublimates, according to the research team.
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The Trace Gas Orbiter’s Atmospheric Chemistry Suite detected the gas, while its CaSSIS camera imaged narrow fissures and nearby surface colour changes.
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Researchers suggest winter ice may seal the fissures, with seasonal thaw allowing gas to escape.
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The team links the emissions to a dormant magma chamber, but the source remains uncertain and the observations do not confirm active volcanism.
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Daniel Mège of the Polish Academy of Sciences says hydrothermal systems could provide energy and protection for microorganisms, if such systems are active.