"The dark presence could be volcanic ash deposited by martian winds. Alternatively, said winds could be blowing away ochre-colored dust that covered the blanket of ash."
"Mars is a volcanic world and is host to the largest volcano in the entire solar system, Olympus Mons, which towers nearly 14 miles above the surrounding landscape."
"If the darkening blanket is caused by spreading ash, it would be moving at a breakneck pace, as shown in side-by-side images taken by NASA's Viking orbiters in 1976."
New images from the European Space Agency's Mars Express reveal a significant transformation in Mars' Utopia Planitia basin, where a dark reddish-brown ash blanket is spreading. This phenomenon may be linked to volcanic ash or the erosion of ochre-colored dust. The material consists of high-temperature mafic minerals like olivine and pyroxene. Mars, known for its volcanic history, raises questions about ongoing geological activity, as the ash has spread hundreds of kilometers in less than 50 years.
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