Post by Andrei Tchentchik on Sept 3, 2020 15:18:06 GMT 2
(.#503).- Earthquakes Mars.
Earthquakes Mars.
NASA PHOTO
A representation of the InSight probe on Mars.
Earthquakes do indeed exist on Mars, an international team of researchers announced on Monday. Data from the InSight probe unquestionably show that around 40 medium earthquakes have occurred in just over a year. This should help understand the internal structure of the red planet, including the size of its nucleus.
Posted on February 24, 2020, 7:51 p.m.
MATHIEU PERREAULT
THE PRESS
Wash and ice
The American probe InSight, which landed on Mars in November 2018, recorded 460 “seismic events”, around 40 of which were due to earthquakes of magnitude 3 or 4. “We thought there were earthquakes on Mars, but we weren't sure, "said Bruce Banerdt of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the Caltech Institute, who is the main author of some of the studies published Monday in the journals Nature Geo-Science and Nature Communications. "Now we know that we will be able to examine the interior of Mars thanks to the propagation of these earthquakes, especially when we are going to have recorded stronger ones. The "tremors of Mars" are not due to the movements of the tectonic plates like on Earth, but to the movements of the ice and the underground lava of Mars, and to the homogenization of the different regions of the interior of the planet. . The studies discussed during the press conference call in which Mr. Banerdt participated last Thursday involved 174 seismic events, including 24 earthquakes of medium intensity. Earthquakes on the Moon have also been recorded since the time of Apollo.
PHOTO BILL INGALLS, NASA
Bruce Banerdt
Weaker and deeper
As the Martian earthquakes are deeper, they are barely noticeable. "On Earth, you may well feel an earthquake of magnitude 3 or 4 if you are nearby," said Susan Smrekar, also of the JPL, on Thursday. "On Mars, you really have to be above the epicenter and concentrate on feeling it without the instruments of InSight. "
Dust swirls
The InSight probe (for interior exploration using seismic, geodesy and heat transport surveys), whose budget is US $ 828 million, also recorded 10,000 dust eddies thanks to its atmospheric pressure sensors. And it detected much stronger magnetic fields than expected. "It is thought to mean that certain regions absorbed a lot of magnetism when Mars had a planetary magnetic field," said Catherine Johnson of the University of British Columbia during a press conference call. "It tells us that these regions were not heated above 100 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, they would have lost their magnetism. "
A glitch for the temperature
The only glitch, InSight had to plunge a thermometer, five meters deep, into the surface of Mars. The rod stopped at 35 cm. "We thought the soil would be brittle like where the other probes landed," said Banerdt. The friction of the sand falling into the bottom of the hole would help dig. But there is no sand falling into the bottom, so the peak bounces. We tried to push it with the robotic arm of InSight, but we only got 40 cm. We are now trying a final tactic, pushing with the side of the robotic arm, but we must be careful not to damage a cable on the arm. We should be clear of it in six to eight weeks. "
Hulk
Note, Mr. Banerdt pronounces his name as the human character of the incredible Hulk. The disambiguation was not discussed this time, but at a previous press conference, he joked when asked if his name was pronounced like "Banner". "I have to warn you, don't make me angry. "
In numbers
• 60 km: Wind speed in dust eddies detected by InSight
• 10 million years: InSight has provided evidence that Mars has known volcanism for less than 10 million years
SOURCE: NASA
F I N .
Earthquakes Mars.
NASA PHOTO
A representation of the InSight probe on Mars.
Earthquakes do indeed exist on Mars, an international team of researchers announced on Monday. Data from the InSight probe unquestionably show that around 40 medium earthquakes have occurred in just over a year. This should help understand the internal structure of the red planet, including the size of its nucleus.
Posted on February 24, 2020, 7:51 p.m.
MATHIEU PERREAULT
THE PRESS
Wash and ice
The American probe InSight, which landed on Mars in November 2018, recorded 460 “seismic events”, around 40 of which were due to earthquakes of magnitude 3 or 4. “We thought there were earthquakes on Mars, but we weren't sure, "said Bruce Banerdt of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the Caltech Institute, who is the main author of some of the studies published Monday in the journals Nature Geo-Science and Nature Communications. "Now we know that we will be able to examine the interior of Mars thanks to the propagation of these earthquakes, especially when we are going to have recorded stronger ones. The "tremors of Mars" are not due to the movements of the tectonic plates like on Earth, but to the movements of the ice and the underground lava of Mars, and to the homogenization of the different regions of the interior of the planet. . The studies discussed during the press conference call in which Mr. Banerdt participated last Thursday involved 174 seismic events, including 24 earthquakes of medium intensity. Earthquakes on the Moon have also been recorded since the time of Apollo.
PHOTO BILL INGALLS, NASA
Bruce Banerdt
Weaker and deeper
As the Martian earthquakes are deeper, they are barely noticeable. "On Earth, you may well feel an earthquake of magnitude 3 or 4 if you are nearby," said Susan Smrekar, also of the JPL, on Thursday. "On Mars, you really have to be above the epicenter and concentrate on feeling it without the instruments of InSight. "
Dust swirls
The InSight probe (for interior exploration using seismic, geodesy and heat transport surveys), whose budget is US $ 828 million, also recorded 10,000 dust eddies thanks to its atmospheric pressure sensors. And it detected much stronger magnetic fields than expected. "It is thought to mean that certain regions absorbed a lot of magnetism when Mars had a planetary magnetic field," said Catherine Johnson of the University of British Columbia during a press conference call. "It tells us that these regions were not heated above 100 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, they would have lost their magnetism. "
A glitch for the temperature
The only glitch, InSight had to plunge a thermometer, five meters deep, into the surface of Mars. The rod stopped at 35 cm. "We thought the soil would be brittle like where the other probes landed," said Banerdt. The friction of the sand falling into the bottom of the hole would help dig. But there is no sand falling into the bottom, so the peak bounces. We tried to push it with the robotic arm of InSight, but we only got 40 cm. We are now trying a final tactic, pushing with the side of the robotic arm, but we must be careful not to damage a cable on the arm. We should be clear of it in six to eight weeks. "
Hulk
Note, Mr. Banerdt pronounces his name as the human character of the incredible Hulk. The disambiguation was not discussed this time, but at a previous press conference, he joked when asked if his name was pronounced like "Banner". "I have to warn you, don't make me angry. "
In numbers
• 60 km: Wind speed in dust eddies detected by InSight
• 10 million years: InSight has provided evidence that Mars has known volcanism for less than 10 million years
SOURCE: NASA
F I N .
