The rocks on Mars contain the magnetic imprint left by large-scale surface movements millions of years ago, according to a team of US and French researchers.

BBC Science Correspondent Sue Nelson: "Mars has more in common with Earth than ever before"

If confirmed, this would be the first direct evidence of the existence on another world other than Earth of what scientists call plate tectonics.

This describes how the planet's crust is divided into interlocking sections, or plates, that float on top of a partially molten mantle. Heat from the Earth's core drives a convection system within the mantle, causing the plates on the surface to move.

 

Barcode pattern

The plates separate, collide, and squeeze past each other. This explains a wide variety of events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain ranges.

The theory of plate tectonics on Earth was confirmed by the presence on the Atlantic sea floor of a series of magnetic stripes......Read on......http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/331535.stm

Posted by Jay Roberts at 03:27 AM | Permalink