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Mars, Like Earth, Sculpted by Super Eruptions and Epic Floods
Kenneth Tanaka, an astrogeologist at USGS in Flagstaff, Arizona, led
a research team that spotted parts missing from the rim of a giant
basin on Mars. The scientists think the material was stripped away when
nearby volcanoes erupted, releasing surges of carbon dioxide and
perhaps water. As lava welled up from below, it pressurized the carbon
dioxide, creating a situation akin to a shaken soda, Tanaka told
SPACE.com. USGS researchers Jeffrey Kargel, David MacKinnon, and Trent
Hare also worked on the study, as did Nick Hoffman from the University
of Melbourne in Australia. The researchers used topography data
provided by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter aboard NASA's Mars Global
Surveyor.
More: Space.com - Mars, Like Earth, Sculpted by Super Eruptions and Epic Floods
