Methane Magma Fumarole/Lava Spout?

[Jumpin' Jack Flash]

Hi Folks

I've been mapping some planets and came across some geological features on one planet that's listed as 'Methane Magma'.
Looking in the codex (right hand panel cockpit) I can see Methane Ice Fumaroles but in the Lava Spouts section I can't see 'Methane Magma'.
Is this one and the same as a Methane Ice Fumarole, or have I discovered a new geo feature?

Any info welcome

Jack

 

[varonica]

Hi Folks

I've been mapping some planets and came across some geological features on one planet that's listed as 'Methane Magma'.
Looking in the codex (right hand panel cockpit) I can see Methane Ice Fumaroles but in the Lava Spouts section I can't see 'Methane Magma'.
Is this one and the same as a Methane Ice Fumarole, or have I discovered a new geo feature?

Any info welcome

Jack

Methane Magma is a type of vulcanism, that is it is the type of vulcanism based on methane. We are used to vulcanism being molten rock, that's silicate vulcanism, silicate magma, metalic bodies will often have iron magma. So our magma is composed of mostly molten rock, which will emerge on the surface as hot gases, fumaroles, lava spouts, volcanoes. Now you can only have magma where a substantial part of the body is molten beneath the surface, so your body will have a sea of molten methane beneath the crust but the surface features will be methane fumaroles, methane lava spouts etc. Unless a major cataclysm happens, such as large meteorite that shattered much of the crust you wouldn't see magma features at the surface. Magma that forces it's way to the surface is called lava, so at most t would be called methane lava spouts if it's following standard naming procedures we use on earth.

So a body with Methane magma vulcanism would have methane fumaroles, methane lava spouts etc, but no features at the surface would be described as "magma" as magma is a subsurface feature.