MARSQUAKES - SCI & TECH
News: Water on Mars?
Marsquakes may help reveal traces of liquid water in the depths of red planet
What's in the news?
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A team of researchers from Penn State University in their paper has said
that studying quakes on Mars could reveal traces of liquid water.
Marsquakes:
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Just like on Earth, the surface of Mars sometimes vigorously shakes and
unsurprisingly, that is called a marsquake.
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The largest ever marsquake
recorded in history happened in 2022 and scientists now finally know the
reason behind it.
Detected by:
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On May 4, 2022, NASA's InSight
lander detected the largest quake yet recorded on Mars, one with a 4.7
magnitude.
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It is fairly modest by Earth’s standards but strong for Mars.
Reasons for Marsquakes:
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Unlike Earth, Mars
doesn't have the same geological process called plate tectonics which usually
causes earthquakes.
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Initially, scientists thought that a meteorite impact might be the
culprit behind this unusual "marsquake."
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However, their search for an impact
crater did not lead to any findings. This led scientists to a new
conclusion – this particular quake was actually triggered by tectonic activity happening within Mars itself.
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It is like rumbling deep inside the planet, giving researchers a better
understanding of what makes Mars tremble and move.
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This discovery sheds new light on the seismic activities of Mars
Significance:
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Scientists concluded that the largest marsquake seen by InSight was
tectonic, not an impact. This is important as it shows the faults on Mars can
host hefty marsquakes.
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The energy released
during this particular marsquake was more powerful than all the other
marsquakes InSight had recorded combined.
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Unlike Earth, where the outer layer, called the crust, is divided into
big plates that move around and cause earthquakes, Mars has a single, unbroken
crust.
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The findings reveal that there are still faults that are active on Mars.
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The planet is still slowly shrinking and cooling, and there is still
motion within the crust even though there are no active plate tectonic
processes going on anymore. These faults can trigger quakes.
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Considering the upcoming human missions to Mars, a greater understanding
of Martian seismic activity is pertinent.
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With information from studies like this one, we might understand where
it would be safe for humans to land on Mars and where it would be better to
avoid a launch.
Go back to basics:
Mars:
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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in our solar system.
Features:
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Its soil contains iron oxide, which gives the planet its
reddish appearance and thus the name Red Planet.
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Its surface is covered with craters,
valleys, volcanoes, and canyons.
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Mars atmosphere is very thin,
consisting primarily of carbon dioxide.
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Due to this and the lack of a
magnetic field, the surface of Mars is exposed to high levels of radiation from
the Sun and space.
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Mars has the tallest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons.
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Liquid water may have existed on
Mars, and there’s evidence of ice caps on its poles.
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Mars has two small, irregularly shaped moons called Phobos and Deimos. They are thought to be captured
asteroids.