A cosmic upheaval is stirring the red planet, and scientists are baffled by the implications. A study recently published in the journal Nature, led by an international team of researchers from Belgium, the USA, France and Germany, revealed a surprising acceleration in the annual rotation of Mars.
This shift, which defies expectations and current understanding, is puzzling experts. Understand the reasons in the data revealed by the study.
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The details of this stellar enigma were revealed by means of the probe InSight, from NASA, which probed the Red Planet for four years before being retired in December 2022.
Data collected by the spacecraft indicate that Mars is spinning approximately four milliseconds of arc faster each year. While this acceleration may seem minor, it is gradually changing the length of Martian days, providing a unique insight into the planet's rotation.
(Image: Joshimerbin – Shutterstock/reproduction)
Scientists are still trying to understand what exactly is causing this dramatic change. The discovery challenges conventional predictions about Mars' rotation and could reveal deep secrets about the planet's history and evolution.
The details of the study indicate that careful analysis of the radio communications between the InSight spacecraft and the network of receivers NASA's ground-based signal system, known as the Deep Space Network, played a crucial role in identifying this acceleration.
By observing subtle variations in radio waves over a period of 900 days, scientists were able to accurately measure the Martian rotation and hypothesize a possible redistribution of mass within the planet.
This acceleration in rotation, contrary to what occurs in Earth, where it is caused by the gravitational influence of the Moon on the oceans, puzzles astrophysicists. With no oceans on Mars, other mysterious forces must be at work to trigger this change.
One of the theories suggested suggests that the accumulation of materials in the polar caps of Mars could be influencing the acceleration in rotation. Another possibility is that internal forces, still unknown, are playing a vital role in this puzzling phenomenon.
In addition to rotation, the RISE (Rotation and Internal Structure Experiment) study also provided valuable data about the core of Mars, revealing information about its size and density.
These discoveries could offer valuable insights into the planet's internal composition, unlocking mysteries about its formation and evolution.
As scientists continue to analyze and interpret these remarkable discoveries, one thing is certain: Mars is surprising us once again.
As astronomer Sebastien Le Maistre of the Royal Observatory of Belgium notes, this historic experiment still has a lot to reveal about the Red Planet.
As new clues emerge and understanding grows, a clearer picture of Mars' accelerating rotation could finally be carved into the cosmos's great book.