“New Insights into Mars’ Formation and Evolution from InSight Rover Data”

Researchers from the University of Bristol have shed new light on the origins and formation of Mars with data from NASA’s InSight rover, a robotic spacecraft designed to explore the interior of Mars.
British news agency BA Media reported that the study revealed insights into the red planet’s liquid core, increasing understanding of its formation and evolution. The search reveals the first observations of sound waves traveling into the Martian core, which resulted in the discovery that it is slightly more intense than previously thought. Also, measurements of this sound energy, called seismic waves, indicate that the Martian core is smaller than previously thought, and that it is composed of a mixture of iron and many other elements. The researchers say the results are so impressive that the mission was initially planned to last just over one year on Mars (equivalent to two years on Earth).
Although storms on Mars accelerated dust accumulation and reduced InSight’s energy, the space agency extended its stay, so geophysical data collection, including seismic signals, continued through the end of last year. Lead author of the research, Dr Jessica Irving, Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol, said: “The extra mission time has certainly paid off. We have made the first observations of seismic waves traveling through the Martian core.”
The study, led by researchers from the University of Bristol, used data from InSight, a robotic spacecraft designed to explore the interior of Mars, to compare seismic waves traveling through the planet’s core with those passing through the shallower regions of Mars.