Scientists suggest that the core of Mars has a different structure than previously thought
Scientists suggest that Mars has a solid shell, but its inner part is multilayered and surprisingly soft. They called it a silicate layer.
Scientists have described two studies about the “innards” of the red planet and published them in the scientific journal Nature, writes Science Alert.
Apart from Earth, Mars is the only planet with an internal structure that has been studied using seismic data. The InSight satellite operated for several years and recorded hundreds of earthquakes occurring in the interior of Mars. So scientists discovered that there are many active processes inside the planet.
As earthquakes move across the planet, the waves travel through different materials and bounce off them in different ways. A hard, rigid material will have a different seismic profile than an elastic, soft one.
| Photo: JohanSwanepoel/Depositphotos |
Based on these data, the researchers made a detailed map of the red planet’s internal structures.
So they found out that the core of Mars is about 1,650 km in diameter (previously thought to be 1,800 km), and also discovered a layer of molten rock about 150 kilometers thick around the core.
If the core is smaller, it means that it is denser and does not need additional lighter elements to loosen. This discovery brings us closer to understanding the chemical composition of Mars.
It will be recalled that researchers recently established that Mars began to rotate faster. Every year it returns faster by an insignificant amount, but in the long run it will have a significant effect.
Read also: Scientists found the probable cause of the earthquake on Mars – research
