The impact was so powerful that it birthed an ocean of magma covering the planet's entire southern hemisphere

Jan 29, 2015 12:42 GMT  ·  By
Researchers believe that, eons ago, an object the size of the moon crashed into Mars
2 photos
   Researchers believe that, eons ago, an object the size of the moon crashed into Mars

Having taken the time to study landscapes on Mars, researchers with Switzerland's ETH Zürich university found evidence that, eons ago, an object about the size of the moon now orbiting Earth might have crashed into the planet's south pole.

Interestingly enough, the geophysicists behind this study argue that such a collision would explain why it is that, whereas the Red Planet's northern hemisphere comprises non-volcanic, flat lowlands, the southern one is home to a whole lot of volcanoes.

Thus, the researchers theorize that, when this moon-sized object crashed into Mars sometime in the early history of our Solar System, the force of the blast turned out to be powerful enough to create an ocean of magma covering the planet's entire southern hemisphere.

With the help of a computer model, the scientists found that, in order for Mars to look as it now does, this impact must have occurred between 4 and 15 million years following the planet's formation, when its surface was fairly thin and its core was liquid.

What's more, the moon-sized object, estimated to have measured about 1,600 kilometers (nearly 1,000 miles) across, must have hit the planet at a speed of about 5 kilometers per second (roughly 3 miles per second) in order for the impact to release enough energy to birth an ocean of magma.

All the conundrum sparked by this collision is believed to have died out some 3.5 billion years ago, when all volcanic activity on the Red Planet ceased and this cosmic neighbor of ours became the calm, frozen place it now is, the ETH Zürich specialists say.

True, a computer simulation does not bullet-proof evidence of a collision between Mars and a moon-sized object make. Still, one cannot help but agree that this theory about an ancient mammoth crash seems to fully explain Mars' current peculiar looks.

Mars is home to lowlands (blue) and volcanic fields (yellow to red)
Mars is home to lowlands (blue) and volcanic fields (yellow to red)

Photo Gallery (2 Images)

Researchers believe that, eons ago, an object the size of the moon crashed into Mars
Mars is home to lowlands (blue) and volcanic fields (yellow to red)
Open gallery