For the first time, scientists have managed to capture a meteorite impact on another planet both photographically and seismically. The impact shook the planet Mars on Christmas Eve 2021 — giving new insights into the nature of the Martian surface. Researchers from the American space agency NASA have succeeded in making the observation described Thursday in the journal “Science”. The analyzes involved scientists from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Bonn.
The Mars probe “InSight”, which landed on the Earth-like planet in 2018, noticed a strong earthquake on December 24, 2021. Using the built-in seismometer, the probe recorded vibrations comparable to magnitude 4 on Earth.
Photos taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft confirmed that this quake came from a meteorite. It had discovered a new crater independently of the landing probe when it flew over the impact site about 24 hours later.
Important for future manned missions to Mars
According to the research team, the crater, which is 150 meters wide and about 21 meters deep, was close to the equator of Mars. The impact also exposed chunks of ice. The scientists therefore assume that the meteorite revealed an ice sheet previously covered by the surface of Mars.
Ingrid Daubar of Brown University, who leads the impact science working group at “InSight,” was surprised by the images of the ice. “This is the warmest spot on Mars closest to the equator where we’ve ever found ice,” she said at a news conference.
This proximity of the subsurface ice to the equator could be a big advantage for future manned missions to Mars – because it can be used for human purposes.
“We want to land the astronauts as close to the equator as possible,” said Lori Glaze, head of NASA’s Planetary Research Division. This is important to take advantage of the warmer temperatures that prevail there. “This ice can be converted to water, oxygen or hydrogen.”
More insight into the processes of crater formation
According to DLR, after analyzing older data, a similar marsquake was discovered that happened in September 2021. It fits in a crater about 100 meters wide.
According to the DLR, the two events provide deeper insight into the processes of cratering. Since the December 2021 impact has been recorded both photographically and seismically, it is possible to calculate the path along which the seismic waves traveled through Mars.
In this way, more could be learned about the properties of the rocks along this path on the planetary crust. The analysis of meteorite impacts helps to better understand the interior of Mars. (AFP/ymh)