The evidence was collected thanks to the InSight lander and published in three studies in Science. NASA discovered what the heart of Mars is like.
The seismometer of the spatial stationary lander InSight of NASA has revealed for the first time some details on the depth and composition of the crust, the mantle, and the core of the planet Mars.
The information gathered by the vehicle was the basis for three studies published in the scientific journal Science. The most exciting discovery concerns the center of Mars, which could melt. Compared to the Earth, it would be a novelty. The outer core of our typical home is fused, while the inner core is solid.
Bruce Banerdt of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who leads the InSight mission, said that “the information contained in these documents is what we hoped to obtain” “Ten years ago it was decided” to set up the project. Therefore, the three studies ” represent the culmination of all the work and concerns of the last decade. “
How The InSight Lander Analyzed The Center Of Mars
But how did we manage to deduce the internal structure of Mars without digging? InSight’s seismograph can intercept seismic waves from earthquakes that occur hundreds of thousands of kilometers away on the fourth planet of the Solar System.
In the research phases, collected information on 733 separate earthquakes, of which 35, ranging from a magnitude of 3.0 to 4.0, provided data for the three articles. Seismic waves vary in shape and speed, depending on the materials within which they propagate.
Based on the evidence gathered, the crust of Mars is thinner than expected. Moreover, it may have two or three substrates. It extends up to 20 kilometers – if there are two sub-levels – or 37 kilometers – if there are three. Below the crust is the mantle, 1,560 kilometers thick, then the core, which has a radius of 1,830 kilometers and is located precisely in the center of the Red Planet.
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