Mars: a new core-crystallization regime.
The evolution of the martian core is widely assumed to mirror the characteristics observed for Earth's core. Data from experiments performed on iron-sulfur and iron-nickel-sulfur systems at pressures corresponding to the center of Mars indicate that its core is presently completely liquid and that it will not form an outwardly crystallizing iron-rich inner core, as does Earth. Instead, planetary cooling will lead to core crystallization following either a "snowing-core" model, whereby iron-rich solids nucleate in the outer portions of the core and sink toward the center, or a "sulfide inner-core" model, where an iron-sulfide phase crystallizes to form a solid inner core.
Stewart
Andrew J
AJ
Institute for Mineralogy and Petrology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, CH 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Schmidt
Max W
MW
van Westrenen
Wim
W
Liebske
Christian
C
D003460:Crystallization; D019419:Evolution, Planetary; D007501:Iron; D018535:Mars; D011312:Pressure; D013440:Sulfides; D013455:Sulfur; D013696:Temperature
D013440:Sulfides; D013455:Sulfur; D007501:Iron