Like Earth, this planet has undergone differentiation,
resulting in a dense, metallic core region overlaid by less dense materials.
Current models of the planet's interior imply a core region about 1,794 ± 65
kilometres (1,115 ± 40 mi) in radius, consisting primarily of iron and nickel
with about 16–17% sulfur. This iron sulfide core is partially fluid, and it has
twice the concentration of the lighter elements that exist at Earth's core.
The core is surrounded by a silicate mantle that formed many of the tectonic and volcanic features on the planet, but it now appears to be dormant. Besides silicon and oxygen, the most abundant elements in the Martian crust are iron,
magnesium, aluminum, calcium, and potassium. The average thickness of the
planet's crust is about 50 km (31 mi), with a maximum thickness of 125 km (78
mi). Earth's crust, averaging 40 km (25 mi), is only one third as thick as
Mars's crust, relative to the sizes of the two planets. The InSight lander
planned for 2016 will use a seismometer to better constrain the models of the
interior.The core is surrounded by a silicate mantle that formed many of the tectonic and volcanic features on the planet, but it now appears to be dormant. Besides silicon and oxygen, the most abundant elements in the Martian crust are iron,
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