NASA’s Mars Insight probe has detected the largest earthquake ever seen on another planet: an earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale that occurred on May 4, 2022, or 1222 Mars or the Sol day of the mission. This adds to the catalog of more than 1,313 earthquakes detected by InSight since it landed on Mars in November 2018. The largest earthquake previously recorded was Estimated amount 4.2 It was discovered on August 25, 2021.
InSight was sent to Mars using a highly sensitive seismometer, provided by the National Center for Space Studies (CNES), to study the depths of the planet’s interior. When seismic waves pass or reflect off materials Crust, mantle and core of MarsThey are changing the way seismologists can study to determine the depth and composition of these layers. What scientists learn regarding the structure of Mars might help them better understand the composition of all rocky worlds, including Earth and the Moon.
The magnitude 5 quake is a moderate-sized quake compared to those felt on Earth, but it’s near the upper limit of what scientists had hoped to see on Mars during the Insight mission. The science team will need to study this new earthquake further before they can provide details such as its location, the nature of its source and what it might tell us regarding the interior of Mars.
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