Mars Has a Warm Region Inside
Something deep inside Mars has scientists looking for clues to its internal evolution. A team at the University of Arizona led by Alexander Byrne, used a technique called "tidal tomography" to probe a heat anomaly in the southern hemisphere mantle. It turns out this subsurface region measures about 200 to 400 degrees Celsius warmer than the rest of the mantle. That warm spot may contain…
Scientists are discovering clues about Mars' internal evolution using a technique called tidal tomography. This method reveals a heat anomaly in the southern hemisphere mantle, which is about 200 to 400 degrees Celsius warmer than the rest of the mantle. The warm spot, located under the southern highlands, may contain information about the planet's heating history and changes over time.
The anomaly was detected from data collected by Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter over a 16-year period. The warm spot shows how Mars' shape changes due to tidal forces as it orbits the Sun, causing slight shifts in the planet's gravitational pull. This tidal bulge leads to tiny changes in gravity, which can be measured by orbiters.
The anomaly may be causing partial melting beneath the surface, but it is likely being stalled by the crust before reaching the surface. If the warm spot existed since Mars' formation 4.5 billion years ago, it would have influenced the planet's geodynamic evolution. The southern hemisphere crust is also thicker than the northern crust, which may have protected the mantle and kept it warmer over Mars' lifetime.
Continued measurements from spacecraft orbiting Mars, along with future studies using other techniques like radio science experiments, will help scientists better understand the differences in crust thickness and any tectonic activity within the Red Planet.
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