Marsquakes are common occurrences on the Red Planet, but a recent analysis suggests that many of these quakes could be caused by meteor strikes. NASA’s InSight lander recorded over 1,300 marsquakes between 2018 and 2022, including some massive temblors. Researchers paired this data with imagery from Mars-orbiting spacecraft to identify 49 quakes that match with impacts recorded by the InSight lander.
The study found that meteor strikes occur on Mars about 1.5-2.5 times more often than previously thought. This is likely due to Mars’ location in the solar system’s asteroid belt, where millions of asteroids are present. The Martian atmosphere is also less dense, making it easier for space rocks to survive impacts and create craters.
The findings are important for future missions to Mars, including potential colonization efforts. Understanding how meteors impact the planet will help scientists evaluate risks to robots, humans, and habitats. With robotic missions like Perseverance and Curiosity providing valuable insights into Mars’ history, this new data can shed light on the Red Planet’s geology and search for signs of life.
NASA’s InSight lander revealed that water may exist today in the Martian crust, while previous studies suggested past evidence of microbial life. The study published its results in two related papers in the Geophysical Research Letters scientific journal, with machine-learning technology used to analyze vast amounts of imagery from multiple spacecraft.
Source: https://mashable.com/article/mars-asteroid-meteor-impacts-cause-marsquakes