Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing space exploration—this time by helping astronomers uncover a previously hidden impact crater on Mars, shedding light on the planet’s internal structure.
New research shows that meteoroid impacts on Mars produce seismic waves that travel deeper and farther than previously believed. These findings were made possible through a collaborative effort between NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the now-retired InSight lander, which had been monitoring seismic activity on the red planet.
Two recently published studies in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) detail how seismic waves change as they move through Mars’ crust, mantle, and core, offering a clearer view of the planet’s interior.
Cracking the Mystery Beneath Mars’ Surface
This discovery is offering new perspectives on the geological composition of Mars and how rocky planets like Earth and the Moon form and evolve.
“In the past, we assumed most seismic energy stayed trapped within the Martian crust,” said Constantinos Charalambous of the InSight team. “But now we see a faster, deeper route—like a seismic superhighway—through the mantle, allowing quakes to travel much greater distances.”
A powerful meteor impact was detected in Cerberus Fossae, a region known for its seismic activity, located about 1,640 kilometers from the InSight lander. The impact created a 71-foot-wide crater—farther than expected based on the energy measured by InSight.
According to NASA, the Martian crust may have a damping effect on seismic waves. However, researchers believe that in the case of Cerberus Fossae, the seismic energy bypassed this damping by traveling directly through the mantle.
AI: A New Tool for Planetary Discovery
To pinpoint the source of seismic activity, scientists used an AI-powered model to scan satellite images within a 3,000-kilometer radius of InSight’s landing site. By analyzing before-and-after images from the MRO’s Context Camera, they identified 123 new craters. Out of those, 49 were found to be potential sources of quakes picked up by InSight’s seismometer.
“We used to think Cerberus Fossae was responsible for most of the high-frequency seismic activity, suggesting internal quakes,” Charalambous noted. “But the new evidence points to some of these signals being caused by meteor impacts instead.”
This research highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in planetary science, helping scientists better understand Mars’ hidden layers and the dynamic forces shaping its surface.
Leave feedback about this