Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater

The Martian dynamo evolution is critical for understanding Mars’s interior structure, thermal evolution, and climate change. It has been inferred to shut down at ∼4.1–4.0 Ga based on the magnetic signatures of large impact craters, but be present at ∼3.9 Ga and ∼3.7 Ga from the paleomagnetic studies...

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Main Authors: Kuixiang Zhang, Can Huang, Zongyu Yue, Hao Luo, Jipeng Qin, Dongke Chen, Junyu Zhao, Yasong Ge, Aimin Du
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add3f3
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author Kuixiang Zhang
Can Huang
Zongyu Yue
Hao Luo
Jipeng Qin
Dongke Chen
Junyu Zhao
Yasong Ge
Aimin Du
author_facet Kuixiang Zhang
Can Huang
Zongyu Yue
Hao Luo
Jipeng Qin
Dongke Chen
Junyu Zhao
Yasong Ge
Aimin Du
author_sort Kuixiang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The Martian dynamo evolution is critical for understanding Mars’s interior structure, thermal evolution, and climate change. It has been inferred to shut down at ∼4.1–4.0 Ga based on the magnetic signatures of large impact craters, but be present at ∼3.9 Ga and ∼3.7 Ga from the paleomagnetic studies and magnetic fields above volcanic units. Here, we investigate the magnetic signatures of the Iota crater, located inside the CT3-G area with a centrally strong magnetic anomaly. The Iota crater shows a weak central magnetic field with an inside-outside strength ratio of 0.39. Forward modeling is established to explore the relationship between the magnetic field signatures of craters and the magnetization caused by impact. The results show that the average magnetization of the retained materials beneath the Iota crater is about 20% of the maximum of the surroundings, indicating that the dynamo strength at that time became weak. The magnetic signatures of Iota and CT3-G reveal that the Martian dynamo decayed at ∼4.1 Ga, but did not stop completely.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IOP Publishing
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series The Astrophysical Journal
spelling doaj-art-809422cc922b402c8b7c0d4671fb28e92025-08-20T02:33:24ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01986214010.3847/1538-4357/add3f3Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota CraterKuixiang Zhang0https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0417-0600Can Huang1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0223-0494Zongyu Yue2Hao Luo3Jipeng Qin4https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1596-4684Dongke Chen5Junyu Zhao6Yasong Ge7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4345-522XAimin Du8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0525-7898Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCollege of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaKey Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaThe Martian dynamo evolution is critical for understanding Mars’s interior structure, thermal evolution, and climate change. It has been inferred to shut down at ∼4.1–4.0 Ga based on the magnetic signatures of large impact craters, but be present at ∼3.9 Ga and ∼3.7 Ga from the paleomagnetic studies and magnetic fields above volcanic units. Here, we investigate the magnetic signatures of the Iota crater, located inside the CT3-G area with a centrally strong magnetic anomaly. The Iota crater shows a weak central magnetic field with an inside-outside strength ratio of 0.39. Forward modeling is established to explore the relationship between the magnetic field signatures of craters and the magnetization caused by impact. The results show that the average magnetization of the retained materials beneath the Iota crater is about 20% of the maximum of the surroundings, indicating that the dynamo strength at that time became weak. The magnetic signatures of Iota and CT3-G reveal that the Martian dynamo decayed at ∼4.1 Ga, but did not stop completely.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add3f3Magnetic anomaliesMarsImpact phenomena
spellingShingle Kuixiang Zhang
Can Huang
Zongyu Yue
Hao Luo
Jipeng Qin
Dongke Chen
Junyu Zhao
Yasong Ge
Aimin Du
Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
The Astrophysical Journal
Magnetic anomalies
Mars
Impact phenomena
title Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
title_full Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
title_fullStr Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
title_full_unstemmed Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
title_short Martian Dynamo Change at ∼4.1 Ga: Evidence from the Magnetic Measurements of the Iota Crater
title_sort martian dynamo change at ∼4 1 ga evidence from the magnetic measurements of the iota crater
topic Magnetic anomalies
Mars
Impact phenomena
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add3f3
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