The InSight lander from NASA on Mars has recorded seismic waves from meteorite impacts, which will help researchers determine the dating of the planet’s surface.
A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience on September 19 reveals that NASA’s InSight lander has detected vibrations from meteorite impacts on Mars over the past two years, as reported by CNN.
The study indicates that a meteorite entered the Martian atmosphere on September 5, 2021, subsequently exploding into at least three fragments, each of which fell and created craters on the planet’s surface. NASA released audio recordings of the impact on September 19, capturing three distinct strikes.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter then flew to the impact site and took detailed images of the craters caused by the meteorite.
“After three years of waiting for InSight to record these impacts, the craters look stunning,” said Ingrid Daubar, a co-author of the study.
Craters from meteorite impacts on Mars in September 2021. (Photo: NASA).
This is the first time the InSight mission has captured seismic and acoustic waves from an impact on Mars.
Scientists still have many questions about why more meteorite impacts on Mars have not been detected, given that the planet is located near the main asteroid belt of the Solar System. Mars’ atmosphere is only 1% as thick as Earth’s atmosphere, allowing meteorites to penetrate without being destroyed.
The craters from meteorite impacts help scientists determine the age of the planet’s surface. Researchers can also ascertain how many craters were formed during the early days of the Solar System.
Data from InSight could assist researchers in analyzing the trajectory and size of shock waves as meteorites enter the atmosphere and collide with the ground, thereby enhancing our understanding of the impact process.
The InSight mission on Mars is nearing its conclusion as dust accumulates on the solar panels, reducing the spacecraft’s energy. The lander is expected to cease operations around October to January 2023.
