Washington [US], November 5th (ANI): A new study finds that the original crust on Mars was more complex and sophisticated than previously thought. The researchers determined that the Martian crust contains a higher concentration of the chemical element silicon, which could mean that the original surface of Mars could be similar to the first crust of the earth.
The surface of Mars is uniformly basaltic, the product of billions of years of volcanoes and lava flowing to the surface that eventually cools. Because Mars has not undergone a complete surface remodeling process like the transformation of continents on Earth, scientists think the story of the Martian crust is a relatively simple one.
But in a new study, researchers found sites in the southern hemisphere of the Red Planet with higher concentrations of silicon, the chemical element, than would be expected in a pure basaltic environment. Concentrations of silica are revealed by space rocks as they collide with Mars, and material embedded miles deep below the surface is excavated, revealing a hidden past.
“There is more silica in the formation which makes the rock less basaltic, but what we call the more advanced formation,” said Valerie Beyer, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iowa and author of the related study. . “This tells us how the crust that formed on Mars must have been more complex than we know. So it’s about understanding this process, and above all what it means for how the Earth’s crust was formed.”
Scientists believe that Mars formed about 4.5 billion years ago. How exactly the red planet appeared is a mystery, but there is a theory. One idea is that Mars was formed from a massive collision of rocks in space, which, with its intense heat, resulted in a completely molten state, also known as the magma ocean. The theory is that the magma ocean gradually cooled, producing a crust, like a crust, which would individually become basalt.
Another theory is that the magma ocean was not completely complete and that the first parts of the crust on Mars had a different origin, which would indicate a concentration of silica other than basalt.
Bayer and its research partners analyzed data collected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the planet’s southern hemisphere, which according to previous research is the oldest region. The researchers found nine sites, such as craters and fissures in the ground, rich in feldspar, a mineral associated with lava flows that is more siliceous than basaltic.
“This was the first clue,” Bayer said. “And because the soil is rich in feldspar, we detected a concentration of silica there.”
Feldspar has previously been found in other areas of Mars, but further analysis showed that the chemical composition in those areas is more basaltic. This did not deter the researchers, who turned to another instrument called THEMIS, which can detect silica concentrations through infrared reflection of wavelengths from the surface of Mars. Using data from THEMIS, the team determined that the soil at the chosen location was more acidic than basaltic.
To add credit to their observations, meteorites like Erg Chech 002, found in the desert and believed to be since the birth of the solar system, show similar silica and mineral compositions that the team observed at nine sites on Mars.
The researchers also estimate the age of the crust to be around 4.2 billion years, making it the oldest crust found on Mars to date.
Bayer said he was a little surprised by the discovery.
“There are compounds on the surface that contain more silica than basaltic,” he said. “So there is the idea that the crust may contain silica. But we never knew, and we still don’t know, how the first crust formed, or how old it was, so it’s a mystery.”
While the origin of the Martian crust is still surrounded, the history of the Earth’s crust is less clear, as remnants of our planet’s original crust have long been obliterated by billions of years of continental plate drift. However, the discovery could provide insight into the origins of the Earth.
“In the first place, we did not know the crust of our planet; we don’t even know when life first appeared, “Bayer said.” Many believe the two could be related. So understanding what the earth’s crust looked like a long time ago can help us understand the entire evolution of our planet. “.
Bayer conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at Northern Arizona University. He joined the UI in August.
The study, “Evolved early crustposed on Mars by spectroscopy,” was published online November 4 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. (Ani)
