From: wecooks@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Mons/Everest/Mauna Kea Comparison
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 01:26:47 -0800
Wandering around looking for more composite/shield photos, I found this great site: http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/planet_volcano/mars/Shields/size.html The site includes a nice graphic showing the sizes of the three mountains. Quite impressive. By the way, Chris McKay is sending me a transparency of the geologic time lines of Mars and Earth. As soon as I get it, I'll let you know. He's not real quick 'cause he bounces around alot! jkc Size Comparison The giant shield volcanoes on Mars are much larger than any feature on Earth. Shown here is a graphic comparison of Olympus Mons to the two largest mountains on Earth. (Note: Mount Everest is not a volcano.) Olympus Mons is the largest and youngest volcano on Mars. It is nearly 27 km high, and about 700 km across. Its summit is nearly 72 km wide, which is close to the size of Mount Everest and Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is the largest Earth volcano. It rises nearly 10 km from the ocean floor, and is about 120 km wide. Mount Everest is a plate tectonic feature, created by uplift and erosion in the Himalayan Mountains. It is about 9 km above sea level, and it sits in a mountain range roughly 200 km wide. (figure is from NASA SP-4212, p. 366, and has a 2x vertical exaggeration.) Shield Volcanoes Volcanoes on Mars VolcanoWorld