Thermal and compositional evolution of the martian mantle: Effects of phase transitions and melting

► Thermal and compositional evolution models for Mars can fit a range of observations. ► Favored models have a large core, Mg# = 0.75, and moderate radiogenic heating. ► Models support mantle heterogeneity as source of chemical variations in Mars samples. ► Regional successions of transient plumes are more likely than long-lived superplumes. ► Weak dynamical effects of mid-mantle phase changes allow whole-mantle convection.