A seismometer placed by NASA’s InSight lander on Mars has discovered the two largest marshes to date. According to a new study, the earthquakes have magnitude 4.2 and 4.1 magnitude. Both of these earthquakes were five times stronger than the largest previously recorded earthquake.
Now, the researchers hope to learn more about the inner layers of Mars after studying the seismic data of these two events. Mars was at the forefront when scientists planned to colonize the planet. And these events can provide insight into whether a sustained human presence is possible. Earthquakes are measured on a specific spectral magnitude scale, while earthquakes are measured on the Richter Scale.
Researchers have identified the source of a 4.2 magnitude earthquake (known as S0976a) in Valles Marineris, a massive network of canyons on Mars and one of the largest earthquake systems. in the solar system. Scientists have long believed the area could be seismically active, but this event is the first confirmation of its seismic activity.
The second 4.1 magnitude earthquake (S1000a) was recorded 24 days after the first event, the Seismological Association of America said in a statement. declare. This event differs from the first in that it is the first time that a Pdiff wave, a small amplitude wave passing through the core-mantle boundary, has been detected by a seismometer by From NASA Mars InSight landing mission.
This illustration shows NASA’s InSight spacecraft with its instruments deployed to the surface of Mars.
Image Provider: NASA / JPL-CalTech
Researchers could not find its exact location except that it originated from the far side of Mars. The event is also special because the seismic energy released by it is the longest recorded on Mars, lasting 94 minutes.
Compared to the rest of the seismic activity detected by InSight, the two earthquakes are the real outliers, the researchers say.
Mars seismic location map and surface relief map showing InSight .’s location
Image source: The Seismic Record / Seismological Society of America
“Not only are they the largest and most distant events with a significant amplitude, S1000a has a spectrum and duration unlike any other previously observed. They are truly remarkable events in the Martian seismic catalog,” said Anna Horleston from the University of Bristol, a researcher on the project. Research is published in the journal The Seismic Record of the Seismological Society of America.
