Futurity · Space

Mars' Interior Holds a Surprising Warm Spot

Scientists have identified a significant heat anomaly deep within Mars' mantle, located beneath the southern hemisphere. This discovery was made using tidal tomography, which analyzes how a planet's interior deforms in response to gravity.

The technique uses satellite data to measure tiny gravitational changes caused by internal mass shifts. Analyzing 16 years of data, researchers inferred Mars' southern hemisphere is about 20% less rigid than the north, suggesting a substantial temperature difference.

This warm spot is estimated to be 200 to 400 degrees Celsius hotter than the surrounding mantle. Understanding planetary interiors aids comparative planetology, helping us comprehend Earth and Mars' evolutionary paths, including why Mars lost its surface water.

The origin of this heat anomaly is under investigation. Hypotheses include an early impact on the northern hemisphere or a thicker southern crust insulating the mantle. Further research is needed to distinguish these possibilities.

Similar methods applied to Earth revealed large low-shear velocity provinces with temperature and compositional differences. Researchers suspect the Martian anomaly may also involve compositional factors.

Future research will focus on the anomaly's origin and its implications for Mars' evolution. The tidal tomography technique is also being adapted for further study of the Moon's interior.

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