Scientists are learning more about the interior structure of Mars and have found the depths of three boundaries below the planet’s surface. “Ultimately, it can help us understand planetary formation,” Alan Levander, co-author of the study, said in a statement.
This is the first time that these limits are measured directly. Exploring the interior of the planet is complicated because it does not have tectonic plates like Earth does.
“In the absence of flat tectonics on Mars, early history is mostly preserved compared to Earth,” co-author Sizhuang Deng said in the statement. “Martia’s depth estimates of Martian boundaries can provide clues to better understand the past, such as the formation and evolution of Earth planets in general.”
The data were collected using NASA’s InSight Lander, which uses a tool called a seismometer to measure vibrations coming from Mars. It detects ground shocks, in which seismic waves pass through the planet, which can be used to reveal details about the density and composition of the planet below the surface.
“The traditional way to study structures beneath Earth is to analyze earthquake signals with dense networks of seismic stations,” Deng said in the statement. “Mars is much less tectonically active, which means it will have far fewer marsquake events compared to Earth. Moreover, with only one seismic station on Mars, we can not use methods that rely on seismic networks. ”
The team found three boundaries within the inner structure of Mars: A separation between the crust and the mantle, lying 22 miles below the surface, a transition within the mantle of an area where magnesium silicate forms a mineral called olivine to one where they form wadsleyite, which is found between 690 miles and 727 miles below the surface, and the separation between the mantle and the core, which lies between 945 miles and 994 miles below the surface.
This information reveals more not only about how the planet now exists, but could also be used to study how Mars evolved over time.
The findings are published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
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