A team of planetary scientists from Belgium, the U.S., France, and Germany has discovered evidence from the InSight lander indicating that Mars possesses an all-liquid core and internal mass anomalies. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group discusses their analysis of the data transmitted back to Earth from the lander.
As the research team points out, determining the internal characteristics of the planets in the solar system is challenging due to their inaccessibility. In this case, they were referring to the efforts of research teams attempting to determine the inner composition of Mars. Thus far, no one has been able to ascertain whether its core is solid or liquid, a characteristic that could have implications for investigating whether the planet ever supported life.
In this new study, the researchers focused on the data obtained from the InSight lander, which successfully landed on Mars in 2018. It transmitted data from the day of its landing until December 2022, when its solar panels became covered in dust, preventing recharging. The researchers note that InSight was equipped with two main sensors: one utilized a seismometer to measure marsquakes, while the other, called RISE, sent radio signals from the lander back to Earth. Due to the precise positioning of the lander, the signals from RISE could be used to monitor the rotation and wobbles of the red planet, both of which provided insights into its interior.
The researchers discovered evidence in the RISE data of what they refer to as “mass anomalies” beneath the planet’s surface. These anomalies were found to extend from the top of the mantle to the bottom. Additionally, the researchers note that Mars’ gravity field and its overall shape are primarily determined by the planet’s rotation rate. However, they suggest that the anomalies may also have an impact. Most importantly, by analyzing data related to the core separately from data related to the mantle, the team found what they believe to be evidence indicating that Mars’ core is composed of molten liquid. They also observed a slight increase in the planet’s spin.
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2023-06-17 04:30:03
Source from phys.org