NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — Researchers recently discovered a molten layer of silicates at the base of Mars‘ mantle. This discovery could change our understanding of the Red Planet’s internal structure and evolution. This study was published in the journal Nature.
For starters, it’s worth remembering the InSight mission, which landed on Mars in 2018 and installed a seismometer to measure seismic waves generated by earthquakes and meteorite impacts . Based on the analysis of these waves, scientists previously determined the size and density of the core, mantle and crust of Mars.
However, in September 2021, the fall of a large meteorite onto the surface of the Red Planet provided new data. An international team of researchers, led by Henri Samuel from the Institute of Physics of the Globe in Paris, conducted the corresponding study.
Planetary scientists have identified the presence of a layer of molten silicates that surrounds the metallic core of Mars. This layer is about 200 kilometers thick and consists of two parts: the lower part is completely melted, and the upper part is partially melted. The presence of this layer explains why some seismic waves were slower than predicted as they passed through the low-velocity underside.
An important result of this discovery is its implications for the evolution of Mars and its magnetic field. Scientists suggest that global melting occurred earlier on Mars, forming a stable layer at the base of the mantle that is rich in iron and radioactive elements. The heat emitted by these elements melted some of the silicates above the core, creating a liquid layer. This layer acts as a thermal insulator for the Martian core, preventing it from cooling and creating a magnetic field through convection.
Henri Samuel explains: “The thermal coating of the metallic core of Mars by a liquid layer at the base of the mantle implies that external sources are required to generate the magnetic field recorded in the Martian crust during the first 500-800 million years of its evolution. These sources could be energetic impacts or core motion caused by gravitational interactions with ancient satellites that have since disappeared.”
This discovery also has implications for the orbit of Phobos, Mars’ closest moon. The upper part of the liquid layer weakens the deformations caused by Phobos’ gravity.
The discovery of a layer of molten silicates at the base of Mars’ mantle changes our understanding of the planet’s internal processes and raises questions about the formation and evolution of planets in the solar system.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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