University of Oxford-Led Team Discovers Source of Largest Seismic Event on Mars
A global team of scientists, led by the University of Oxford, has recently revealed the findings of their collaboration to identify the source of the largest seismic event ever recorded on Mars. The seismic event, measuring a magnitude of 4.7, was detected by NASA’s InSight lander on May 4, 2022, and caused vibrations to reverberate through the planet for at least six hours.
At first, the team suspected that the event, named S1222a, might have been triggered by a meteorite impact, as the seismic signals resembled those of previous impact-caused quakes. In an effort to investigate this possibility, the researchers joined forces with the European Space Agency, the Chinese National Space Agency, the Indian Space Research Organization, and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, launching a search for a fresh crater.
After several months of thorough investigation, the team unveiled their conclusion that no fresh crater was discovered, effectively ruling out a meteorite impact as the cause of the seismic event. Instead, the scientists determined that the event was a result of immense tectonic forces within Mars’ crust, suggesting that the planet is more seismically active than previously believed.
These groundbreaking findings were recently published in the esteemed journal Geophysical Research Letters, emphasizing the significance of international collaborations and the diverse range of instruments employed in Mars exploration. The research not only adds to our understanding of the geological activity on Mars but also holds potential implications for future missions and the eventual human habitation of the red planet.
The project truly embodied the golden age of Mars exploration, showcasing the involvement of missions from multiple countries. This seismic event turned out to be one of the final records captured by InSight before the conclusion of its mission in December 2022. However, the team intends to implement the knowledge obtained from this study in upcoming missions, including those targeting the moon and Saturn’s moon, Titan.
This study reveals crucial details about the tectonic activity on Mars and provides invaluable insights into the planet’s geological history and evolution. In light of these remarkable discoveries, the research team expresses their gratitude to all the missions that participated in the collaboration, hoping that this project will serve as an inspiration for future productive international partnerships in deep space exploration.
