Marsquake

May 14, 2022

NASA recently announced the detection of the quake on Mars, called marsquake.

What is the magnitude of the quake recorded?

NASA reported that it recorded a magnitude 5 marsquake. The largest previously detected “marsquake” was in August 2021. Also, this is the largest quake ever observed on another planet.

Which equipment detected the present marsquake?

InSight Mars lander. The mission was launched in May 2018 and was successfully landed on Mars in November 2018. Since then it has detected 1,313 quakes.

Where did the latest marsquake originate?

Scientists believe that it mostly originated near the Cerberus Fossae region, which is around 1,000 kilometers from the InSight Mars lander.

What is the significance of detecting marsquakes?

With the help of smaller quakes recorded earlier, scientists charted the thickness of the crust, mantle, and core of Mars. Large quakes will help in finding the precise location of the epicenter and also help in understanding the interior of Mars.

How quakes on Mars are different from those on Earth?

Earthquakes happen due to the movement of tectonic plates. However, Mars does not have tectonic plates so marsquakes happen due to stresses that cause rock fractures in its crust.

Is the InSight mission looking for life on mars?

InSight is not looking for life on Mars.

What is the objective of the InSight mission?

To study what Mars is made of, investigate its interior structure, and how much heat seeps out of it.

Why is it important to study Mars?

Because, though, Earth and Mars were similar earlier, they took different paths 3-4 billion years ago. Studying Mars and comparing it with Earth will help scientists to understand how planets evolve and change.