An artist's illustration of the lumps within Mars' mantle (Image source: NASA and JPL-Caltech; cropped)An artist’s illustration of the lumps within Mars’ mantle (Image source: NASA and JPL-Caltech; cropped)

Using data from NASA’s InSight lander, researchers have discovered structures deep inside Mars’ interior. These giant lumps are serving as a time capsule to show us what happened to the planet 4.5 billion years ago.

plNASA’s InSight lander was a robotic lander that operated from 2018 to 2022. The lander was built to detect seismic waves from marsquakes. These waves run deep into a planet’s mantle. As the waves pass through different kinds of materials within the mantle, their speed and waveform are altered.

During InSight’s operation, its seismometer detected 1,319 marsquakes. Researchers have since been studying the data to find out the composition of Mars’ mantle. A recent study published on August 28 revealed the lumpy nature of the red planet’s interior.

Scientists identified eight marsquakes that produced seismic waves with high-frequency energy. As the waves traveled deep within Mars’ mantle, they slowed down, returning scrambled signals. Researchers used planet-wide computer simulations to see where this was happening.

They discovered that the slowing down happened in a small, localized region. Further studies revealed that this region contains lumps of material. The scientists believe that the lumps were created from asteroid collisions that happened 4.5 billion years ago. There is a common belief that during those early years, asteroids and protoplanets regularly collided with younger planets. 

Unlike Earth, Mars lacks tectonic plates. As a result, these lumps have remained there for that long. Venus and Mercury also lack tectonic plates. This study has given scientists insight into what might be present in their interiors.

Chibuike OkparaChibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 155 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024

I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.