OXFORD, UK – Mars, the red planet, has surprised scientists once again with its geological activity. A colossal quake, detected by NASA’s InSight lander on May 4, 2022, and measuring 4.7 magnitude, has been attributed to significant tectonic activity in the Martian crust. This discovery challenges the prevailing belief that Mars lacks tectonic plates. The alternative explanation of a giant meteorite impact has been ruled out. The findings come from an international team led by planetary physicist Benjamin Fernando from the University of Oxford.

Fernando explains that the quake was likely caused by the release of stress accumulated in Mars’ crust over billions of years. The planet’s cooling and shrinking processes have resulted in varying rates of evolution in different regions. Despite the absence of active plate tectonics on Mars, this event suggests that the planet experiences seismic activity.

InSight, after four years of monitoring Mars’ interior, concluded its mission at the end of 2022. During its tenure, the lander detected numerous quakes and tremors, some caused by meteorite impacts and others linked to magmatic activity. These findings challenge the perception that Mars is a dormant celestial body.

To determine the source of the largest quake recorded by InSight, named S1222a, Fernando and his colleagues enlisted the help of global space agencies. Coordinating a multinational effort, satellites operated by the European Space Agency, the Chinese National Space Agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation, and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency collectively examined Mars’ surface. Their objective was to identify a fresh impact scar that could have produced S1222a if it was the result of an impact event.

However, the search yielded no evidence of a recent impact crater or blast zone, leading the researchers to conclude that tectonic movement was the primary cause of the quake. This finding also suggests that Mars experiences more seismic activity than previously thought.

While InSight has ceased operations, the data it has collected will provide scientists with valuable material for further investigation. Future missions and research focused on Mars could help unravel the mysteries surrounding the planet’s seismic behavior.

Fernando acknowledges that there is still much to learn about the varying stress levels on different parts of Mars. However, discoveries such as this contribute to our understanding and may one day aid in identifying suitable areas for human habitation on Mars. The research results have been published in Geophysical Research Letters.