After Earth, Mars is the second planet to have the nucleus measured and studied. With data sent by NASA’s InSight probe, scientists were able to discover that our neighbor’s deepest layer is larger and less dense than previously thought.
The study was presented virtually last Thursday, during the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference event. The probe investigated the depths by analyzing the seismic waves emitted by Mars and, in this way, was able to obtain real measurements on the star.
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InSight showed that the radius of the Martian core is 1,810 to 1,860 kilometers, approximately half the Earth’s core, but much larger than expected.
In addition to the iron and sulfur that make up a large part of the composition, the deepest layer on the planet must contain lighter elements, such as oxygen.
The recent discoveries are a big step and also a relief for NASA. The $ 993 million space probe faces difficulties on Mars such as the accumulation of dust on solar panels. But it looks like the investment is paying off …
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