Cover image paper published in Science Bulletin

Yunguo and coauthors published their theoretical prediction on Martian core differentiation in a cover image paper in Science Bulletin.

The journal introduced this paper in their highlights:

Core-mantle differentiation is the most significant event in the history of rocky planets, involving massive redistribution of material. This process is pivotal for the long-term evolution of Mars, yet it is still not fully comprehended. By utilizing oxygen partitioning data derived from ab initio calculations and the most recent core composition constraints based on InSight seismic data, Li et al. have pinpointed the temperature and pressure conditions under which Martian core-mantle differentiation occurred. Their research indicates that the Martian core likely formed at a temperature exceeding 2440 K, under pressures spanning from 14 to 22 GPa. This study offers crucial parameters for understanding the origin, formation, and mantle geochemistry of Mars. The cover image vividly portrays the dynamic process of the core separating from a deep Martian magma ocean under extreme temperatures, providing a graphic representation of this crucial planetary event (see the article by Li et al.).

A short introduction of this paper in Chinese can be found here.