A recentstudypublished inNature Geosciencedetails the presence of a potential “ continental crust ” on Mars .
An outside team of scientists looked over geochemical information and images of 22 sherd transmitted to Earth by the$2.5 billionNASA roverCuriosityfrom data gathered by its laserchemical - analysis equipment , known as ChemCam . They say they were capable to aver a close geologic law of similarity between those light rock and the granitic continental freshness that started imprint here on Earth4.4 billion yr ago .
Typically , igneous rock on Mars has been darker and denser , more closely resembling pelagic crust on the Earth . But the Gale volcanic crater , where theCuriosityrover land in 2012 , contains fragments of four - billion - yr - old pyrogenous rocks that are distinctly low-cal in color .
“ Along the rover ’s path , we have escort some beautiful rocks with big , lustrous crystals , quite unexpected on Mars,“saysLos Alamos National Laboratory ’s Roger Wiens , lead scientist on the ChemCam official document and a atomic number 27 - author of the study . “ As a universal rule , light - coloured crystals are lower in density , and these are abundant in pyrogenous rocks that make up Earth ’s continents . ”
Scientists have longsuspectedthe red major planet once had move tectonic plates , just as Earth does . At some point , however , these seemingly became indifferent . Here on Earth , the great landmass continue to budge . Every year , North America and Eurasia cuckold about one inch further asunder , while anAsia / Australiamergerlooms on the ( far ) distant celestial horizon . Throughout this process , continental crust float around over oceanic crust because it ’s less dense . Perhaps other Mars and former Earth expire through similar growing pains .
But intriguing as this new find may be , it does n’t prove that Mars once had plate tectonics . Perhaps , suggest the authors , these igneous rocks were distorted by the young satellite ’s lithosphere ( the uppermost layer of a terrestrial planet which , on Earth , includes the crusts ) . During Mars ’ former days , the specimens might ’ve been tangle a little closer to its heart and soul . On their downward journeying , they could have partially melted — and maybe even adopt those unusual colors .
