Oxford Study Finds Mars Built 24-Km Layered Crust From Ancient Magma Oceans

3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jun 30

InSight marsquake data point to a crustal boundary about 24 km below Mars' surface, where Oxford researchers say ancient magma oceans separated into two distinct rock layers.
Their models identify lighter mafic rock above and denser ultramafic rock below, a pattern best explained by long-lived, interconnected magma reservoirs freezing in place after differentiation.
That finding challenges the view of Mars as a simple stagnant-lid planet, suggesting it developed Earth-like transcrustal magmatism despite lacking plate tectonics.
The study says such magmatic systems could have recycled greenhouse gases, prolonged warmer conditions and concentrated near-surface mineral deposits, widening implications for Mars' past habitability and future exploration.

Sources

Space.com20h ago

Mars' Ancient Magma Oceans Formed Complex Crust, Oxford Researchers Find Using InSight Data

AOL1d ago

Scientists find huge 'magma systems' inside Mars - AOL

The Brighter Side of News1d ago

Enormous, Earth-like magma systems once existed inside Mars - The Brighter Side of News

6 Sources

As Mars may hide vast mineral wealth, how will this discovery reshape plans for future human settlements and industry?

Did Mars’s hidden geological engine create deep oases for life, and could they still exist today?

If 'dead' planets can build continents like Earth, must we rewrite the rules for what makes a world habitable?

InSight’s Seismic Revelations: How Over 1,300 Marsquakes Unveiled Mars’ Layered Crust, Vast Magma Systems, and New Paths to Habitability

Overview

NASA's InSight lander, deployed in 2018, used its advanced seismometer to detect over 1,300 marsquakes during more than four years of operation. By carefully analyzing the seismic waves from these quakes, scientists created a detailed profile of Mars' interior, revealing its crust, mantle, and core. This groundbreaking approach uncovered a complex, layered Martian crust and provided crucial insights into the planet's hidden structure. InSight's discoveries have transformed our understanding of Mars' geological history and set the stage for future exploration and resource utilization on the Red Planet.

...