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Olympus Mons
is the largest volcano in the Solar System |
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It
is 15 miles (25 km high), 430 miles (700 km) |
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It is three
times higher than Mount Everest (Earth’s tallest feature) |
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Its
base would completely cover a state like Colorado
or Arizona. |
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Olympus Mons
is a shield volcano formed by repeated lava flows similar to the
volcanic events that formed the Hawaiian Islands. There is no evidence
of any explosive eruptions akin to that of Mount St. Helens in Washington
state. |
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The volcano
has fairly gentle slopes, and is surrounded by a cliff 6 miles (10
km or 33,000 feet) high. That's about the cruising altitude of passenger
jets on Earth. |
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The
volcano’s large size relative to volcanoes
on Earth is due to the lack of plate tectonics
(plate movement) on Mars. Thus the volcano remains
stationary over its source of magma, and it
grows until the magma source runs out. |
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The
large opening at the top of Olympus Mons, or
any volcano for that matter, is called a caldera.
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Olympus Mons’
caldera is 53 miles (85 km) wide. |
