Topic: Hotspots leave magnetic scars on Mars

[sam]

After the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) settled into orbit around the red planet in 1997, a magnetometer on board began sending back measurements that have puzzled planetary scientists ever since. A section of the martian crust appeared to consist of long 'stripes' of iron-bearing minerals permanently magnetized with alternating orientations. Clearly, an ancient dynamo imprinted its field in the rock during the planet's early history. But why the stripes?

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100625/full/news.2010.312.html

[Clive]

Mars is giving up its secrets a bit at a time!