Eden Patera is a brilliant example of one of many potential supervolcanoes on Mars that would have helped to shape the planet billions of years ago. This was during a time when the crust was thinner than it is now, allowing magma to rise quickly. The gases from these supervolcanoes would have influenced the composition of the atmosphere and its evolution, taking out water and elements needed for life. Although they look like impact craters from old meteorites, their irregular shape and lack of a raised rim and a central peak implies that they are not. Supervolcanoes are not like normal volcanoes - when they erupt, a whole area can be affected, with various vents and fissures being activated. These can eject up to 1,000 cubic km of material, leaving a large (up to 70km wide) caldera behind. For more detailed information, have a look at the links below that are from BBC and The Independent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24348673
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/out-of-this-world-giant-supervolcanoes-found-on-ancient-mars-8854319.html
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