ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

NASA detects first evidence of a Marsquake

The Mars InSight lander has sensed a quake within the planet.

Jordan StricklerbyJordan Strickler
April 24, 2019
in News, Science, Space
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

NASA just made 3 million Earth images available at no cost
NASA achieves coldest temperature in space, probes the nature of gravity
Pluto – now in color, courtesy of New Horizon
This week, connect with astronauts from the ISS
Credit: Flickr, NASA.

On the 128th sol of the Martian lander Insight, researchers discovered a “Marsquake.” Scientists recorded the tremors with a French-made dome probe, the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS). While the event was too small to provide any useful information — if it had occurred on Earth, it wouldn’t have even registered — it was still the first quake recorded on Mars caused by forces inside the planet.

“We’ve been waiting months for our first marsquake,” said Dr. Philippe Lognonné, the Principle Investigator for SEIS. “It’s so exciting to finally have proof that Mars is still seismically active. We’re looking forward to sharing detailed results once we’ve studied it more and modeled our data.”

While Mars doesn’t have tectonic plates, which cause most of Earth’s quakes, both planets and the Moon experience the kind of quake caused by faults, or fractures in their crusts. As heavy masses and slow cooling add stress to the crust, it cracks, releasing energy.

Mars, I hear you. I’ve detected some quiet but distinct shaking on #Mars. The faint rumbles appear to have come from the inside of the planet, and are still being studied by my team. Take a listen.👂https://t.co/GxR1xdRx1F pic.twitter.com/Z8Hn03jigO

— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) April 23, 2019

Thousands of quakes were discovered on the Earth’s moon between 1969 and 1977 using five seismometers installed by Apollo astronauts.

“The Martian Sol 128 event is exciting because its size and longer duration fit the profile of moonquakes detected on the lunar surface during the Apollo missions,” said Lori Glaze, Planetary Science Division director at NASA Headquarters.

So far, the InSight team has yet to confirm the cause of the tremor, which was picked up on April 6. Three other signals, which occurred on March 14 (Sol 105), April 10 (Sol 132) and April 11 (Sol 133), could also be of seismic origin. The signals were far more enigmatic to the InSight team, but at least two of those do not appear to have been caused by wind or other unwanted sources of noise. Those signals were found to be much weaker than those on Sol 128 and were only detected by SEIS’s ultra-sensitive VBB sensors.

“InSight’s first readings carry on the science that began with NASA’s Apollo missions,” said InSight Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. “We’ve been collecting background noise up until now, but this first event officially kicks off a new field: Martian seismology!”

 

Tags: earthquakeMarsmarsquakenasa

ShareTweetShare
Jordan Strickler

Jordan Strickler

A space nerd and self-described grammar freak (all his Twitter posts are complete sentences), he loves learning about the unknown and figures that if he isn’t smart enough to send satellites to space, he can at least write about it. Twitter: @JordanS1981

Related Posts

Future

NASA Captured a Supersonic Jet Breaking the Sound Barrier and the Image Is Unreal

byTibi Puiu
2 weeks ago
News

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Spotted Driving Across Mars From Space for the First Time

byTibi Puiu
2 weeks ago
Climate

Trump’s Budget Plan Is Eviscerating NASA and NOAA Science

byMihai Andrei
4 weeks ago
Geology

This strange rock on Mars is forcing us to rethink the Red Planet’s history

byTudor Tarita
1 month ago

Recent news

Whale Tagging at Dawn and Other Stunning Photos of Science in the Wild

May 13, 2025

Antarctica has a huge, completely hidden mountain range. New data reveals its birth over 500 million years ago

May 13, 2025
AI-generated image.

Does AI Have Free Will? This Philosopher Thinks So

May 13, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.