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Clouds drift over the dome-covered seismometer, known as SEIS, belonging to NASA's InSight lander, on Mars. (Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Washington, July 25
NASA's Insight lander has revealed deep interiors of the Red Planet for the first time, confirming that the planet's centre is molten (Earth's outer core is molten while its inner core is solid).
Three papers based on the seismometer's data on stationary lander were published in the journal Science, providing details on the depth and composition of Mars' crust, mantle and core.
The scientists found the crust was thinner than expected and may have two or even three sub-layers. It goes as deep as 20 kms if there are two sub-layers, or 37 kms if there are three. Beneath that is the mantle, which extends 1,560 kms below the surface. At the heart of Mars is the core, which has a radius of 1,830 km.