In a culinary twist on planetary science, Japanese researchers have used common kitchen ingredients to simulate mysterious volcanic formations on Mars, revealing new insights about the Red Planet’s watery past. The innovative approach could help explain how ancient Martian environments might have supported life.
The study, published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, demonstrates how heated syrup and baking soda can mimic the formation of peculiar volcanic structures called rootless cones, which form when lava flows interact with water-rich ground.
These distinctive geological features, ranging from several to several hundred meters in diameter, are rare on Earth but surprisingly common on Mars. Their presence suggests significant water activity in Mars’ past, making them crucial targets for understanding the planet’s potential to have harbored life.
“We observed that conduits often failed to maintain their structure because they were disrupted by nearby forming conduits,” explains Associate Professor Rina Noguchi of Niigata University, who led the research alongside student Wataru Nakagawa.
Using an experimental setup reminiscent of making Japanese honeycomb toffee, the team heated starch syrup to about 140°C to simulate lava flows. They combined this with a mixture of baking soda and cake syrup to represent water-laden ground. When the hot syrup contacted the baking soda mixture, it triggered a reaction that mimicked the explosive interaction between lava and water.
The experiments revealed a surprising competition between emerging gas pathways, or conduits, that helps explain why these volcanic features appear in certain patterns on Mars. The researchers found that thicker layers of syrup led to more complex interactions between conduits, with many failing to reach the surface – a pattern that matches observations of Martian rootless cones.
This discovery helps explain why some areas on Mars show dense clusters of small cones while others feature fewer but larger formations. The thickness of the original lava flow appears to be a crucial factor in determining both the size and distribution of these structures.
The findings are particularly significant because they help validate observations from Mars missions and offer new ways to interpret Martian geology. Similar patterns have been found in places like Iceland and Hawaii, where such formations can be studied up close, providing valuable comparisons for understanding Mars.
The research team’s innovative use of kitchen science also demonstrates how complex planetary processes can be studied with readily available materials. Their experimental setup, inspired by traditional Japanese candy-making techniques, provides a safe and accessible way to study phenomena that would be dangerous to observe in nature, where lava temperatures exceed 1000°C.
The implications extend beyond Mars. Understanding how these formations develop could help identify similar features on other planetary bodies, potentially revealing previously unknown water-rich regions in our solar system.
As space agencies plan future Mars missions, these insights could help guide the selection of landing sites for vehicles searching for signs of ancient microbial life, particularly in areas where these distinctive volcanic features suggest past water activity.