Mars quakes lead to discovery of active fault zone

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discovery of an active fault zone on Mars, specifically in the Cerberus Fossae region, has been confirmed through the analysis of seismic data collected by seismometers. This geologically young area is still tectonically active, indicating that Mars has ongoing geological processes. The findings were presented at the AGU Fall Meeting 2019, highlighting the importance of seismometers in understanding the deep crust structure of Mars and identifying fault zones.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of planetary geology
  • Familiarity with seismology and seismic data analysis
  • Knowledge of Mars' geological history
  • Awareness of the AGU Fall Meeting and its significance in scientific discourse
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the capabilities and data from Mars seismometers
  • Study the geological features of Cerberus Fossae
  • Explore the implications of tectonic activity on Mars' geological evolution
  • Review papers presented at the AGU Fall Meeting 2019 for further insights
USEFUL FOR

Planetary geologists, seismologists, and researchers interested in Martian geology and tectonics will benefit from this discussion, as it provides insights into the active geological processes occurring on Mars.

jim mcnamara
Mentor
Messages
4,789
Reaction score
3,852
TL;DR
Article describes previously unobserved active fault zone on Mars.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/first-active-fault-system-found-mars2/

Rumbling quakes on the red planet have been traced back to Cerberus Fossae, suggesting this geologically young region is still alive and cracking.1

One insight on this is seismometers on Mars can provide data driven inferences about Mars deep crust structure with reliably located fault zones.

Based on paper presented at AGU FallMeeting 2019 :
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm19/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/575405
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn and BillTre
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
@davenn -- Time for a road trip?
 
  • Haha
  • Love
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Astronuc, smokingwheels, davenn and 1 other person
jim mcnamara said:
Summary:: Article describes previously unobserved active fault zone on Mars....

very interesting, thanks for that gem :smile: