NASA’s InSight lander detects ‘monster quake’ on Mars
Image Credit:scitechdaily
The largest tremor ever measured on another planet has been discovered by NASA's InSight Mars lander.
Image Creditmashableindia
The marsquake, which struck on May 4, had a magnitude of 5, easily smashing the previous record of 4.2 set by an InSight-detected quake in August of last year
More research into the natural occurrence, which NASA dubbed a "mega quake," will aid scientists in determining its precise location and cause
It is hoped that it will also provide further knowledge about the innards of Mars.
On Monday, May 10, NASA announced the violent marsquake on InSight's Twitter account.
"Felt that one!" said the tweet. "I just felt by far my biggest'marsquake' yet: seems like magnitude 5 after more than three years of listening to the faint rumbles of Mars."
Image Credit:wion
My team is looking into the data to find out more. Patience pays in science!"
The kind of tectonic plates that create earthquakes on Earth don't exist on Mars
Instead, volcanic activity causes marsquakes. Scientists are interested in researching Mars' seismic activity since the information can help them learn more about the planet's mantle and core.
InSight has identified over 1,313 quakes during its three-year mission on Mars
Its highly sensitive seismometer is housed within a dome that blocks out wind noise and protects it from the cold nights.