A radioactive sea of ​​magma has been discovered beneath the surface of Mars. It surrounds the core

Scientists from Switzerland and the USA studied data on a meteorite impact on Mars in 2021 and concluded that the planet's core is much smaller than previously thought. And the confusion occurred due to the magma surrounding it.

Initial estimates are based on measurements of seismic waves during earthquakes on the Red Planet. NASA's InSight lander recorded them for four years. The radius of the core was found to be approximately 1,800 kilometers. And inside it there is a surprisingly large number of different light elements that complement the heavy liquid iron.

But in September 2021, a meteorite crashed into Mars, generating seismic waves that allowed it to be “illuminated.” Thanks to this event, scientists were now able to determine the exact dimensions of the planet's inner ball.

As it turns out, the radius of the Martian core is actually between 1,630 and 1,705 kilometers. This means that it should be denser than expected. In this case, the previously unexplained abundance of light elements may actually exist in smaller, more reasonable quantities.

Scientists also discovered that the whole thing is surrounded by a layer of molten silicates about 145 kilometers thick. It was this “shell” that distorted the initial assessments. Nothing like this has been found in the bowels of the Earth or anywhere else before, the authors of the study note.

According to Vedran Lekic from the University of Maryland (USA), it “concentrates radioactive elements” and serves as something of a “heating blanket.” Studying this phenomenon can help find answers to questions about the formation of Mars and the absence of an active magnetic field on it.