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New Study with Data from the InSight Mission Shows That Mars Has a Solid Core, Similar to Earth, and Reinforces Hypotheses About Its Magnetic Past.
Scientists revealed that Mars has an internal structure similar to Earth. Results from NASA’s InSight mission suggest that the red planet has a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core. The discovery helps solve a mystery that has intrigued science for decades.
The results were published in the journal Nature and have important implications for understanding the planet’s evolution. According to researchers, billions of years ago, Mars may have supported a thicker atmosphere capable of sustaining liquid water on its surface.
Relation with the Magnetic Field
This dense atmosphere may have been protected by a magnetic field.
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On Earth, this natural shield is created by convection between the solid and liquid core, generating the so-called dynamo. It deflects charged particles from the Sun and protects the atmosphere of the planet.
However, Mars currently has no magnetic field. Without this shield, its atmosphere has been gradually lost to space over time.
The result was the transformation into a cold and dry desert, quite different from what it seems to have been in the past.
Evidence of Water in the Past
There are clear signs on the Martian surface that rivers and lakes once existed. Deep gullies, networks of channels, and minerals formed in aquatic environments support this hypothesis.
Even so, today’s tenuous atmosphere does not allow for large volumes of water. The necessary amount simply no longer exists on the planet.
InSight Mission and First Data
The InSight lander was essential in paving the way for the study. Using seismometers, scientists detected a liquid core in 2021. The work was led by Simon Stähler from ETH Zurich and published as a reference.
It showed that seismic waves pass through the mantle and core before reflecting and reaching the equipment. The analysis indicated a larger and less dense core than expected, with no sign of an internal solid part.
New Results and Review
Now, Huixing Bi from the University of Science and Technology of China and colleagues presented data pointing to a solid inner core. This core is thought to have a radius of 610 km and shows that crystallization and solidification are ongoing as Mars cools.
This brings the planet’s structure closer to Earth, reinforcing the possibility that Mars hosted a magnetic field in the past.
For science, this is an essential piece to explain the planet’s climatic evolution.
Models Under Discussion
Initially, it seemed that the works of Stähler and Bi would clash. One indicated a completely liquid core, while the other pointed to a solid layer. But scientists explain that there is no contradiction.
In fact, both studies represent stages of scientific advancement. The initial work paved the way and limited parameters of size and density. The more recent one used selected seismic events and innovative techniques to detect more subtle signals.
Review of 2023
Another study conducted by Henri Samuel from Université Paris Cité revisited the models in 2023. With complementary data, he adjusted the size and density of the core, reconciling InSight information with other evidence.
Stähler’s own article already admitted that it wasn’t possible to rule out a solid core. Only the signal intensity was insufficient to confirm the hypothesis. Thus, Bi’s study arrives as a natural evolution.
Mars in Comparison to Earth
On Earth, the solid core is essential to maintain the convection that generates the magnetic field. The heat from the core passes to the liquid and then to the mantle, fueling the dynamo.
The new result indicates that Mars may have followed a similar path in the past. This condition would have been responsible for sustaining a thick atmosphere and, consequently, allowing for the presence of abundant liquid water.
Importance of Missions
The discovery reinforces the value of space missions. While rovers like Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance study the surface’s mineralogy, other probes analyze the atmosphere and water.
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, from the European Space Agency, monitors the water cycle. The Maven probe, from NASA, investigates atmospheric loss to space. InSight, in turn, focused its efforts on understanding seismic activity and internal structure.
End of the InSight Mission
InSight landed in November 2018. Over four years, it collected fundamental data. The last contact with Earth occurred in December 2022, when its power was depleted due to dust accumulation on the solar panels.
Even without operation, the mission continues to yield results. The new study shows that data gathered years ago can still reveal transformative discoveries.
Advancement of Science
This process of review and update is a natural part of science. Progress occurs precisely when new data allow for improving or complementing previous models.
Therefore, the existence of different models does not indicate error. On the contrary, it shows how science advances in the search for the best possible explanation.
What Lies Ahead
Now, the scientific community must reevaluate the InSight data. Other analyses may confirm or adjust the results presented by Huixing Bi and his team.
Additionally, it will be necessary to check if the model with a solid core fits with other data, such as already known density and size limits. This debate promises to generate new publications and discussions in the coming years.
Impact on Space Exploration
Understanding Mars’ internal structure is essential for designing future missions. This helps explain why the planet lost its atmosphere and what conditions existed in the past.
Moreover, it provides clues about how planets form and evolve in the solar system. This knowledge is crucial for understanding Earth itself and even assessing the habitability of distant worlds.
The solid core of Mars represents a key piece in reconstructing its history. It confirms that the planet once had conditions similar to Earth and may have supported life at some distant moment.
Many questions remain unanswered, but each discovery brings science closer to better understanding the fate of the red planet.
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