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August 10, 2024, 11:00

Which planet may hide a real treasure?

Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system, may hide an all-diamond layer up to 18 kilometers (10 miles) thick at the boundary between the core and the mantle, new research suggests.

Scientists used data collected by MESSENGER spacecraft to inform their theories about the structure of the planet's interior.

When the planet was formed around 4.5 billion years ago, the metal core was entirely liquid which progressively crystallized over time.

Two processes could have resulted in the diamond layer:
1️⃣ the crystallization of the magma ocean that likely contributed to forming only a very thin diamond layer at the core/mantle interface
2️⃣ the crystallization of the metal core of Mercury.

The study suggests that under extreme pressure, the carbon in the mantle turned into diamond.

According to scientists, the results could point to differences between the formation of Mercury and other planets, including Earth and Mars.

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