Artificial Intelligence has helped astronomers in uncovering a new crater on Mars, revealing a long-hidden secret.
Recent discoveries show that meteoroid impacts on Mars generate seismic signals that penetrate deeper than previously believed. These findings stem from collaborative research involving NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the now-inactive InSight lander, which had been monitoring seismic activity.
In two studies published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL), scientists examined how seismic waves from these quakes transform as they pass through Mars' crust, mantle, and core.
Uncovering Mars’ Hidden Craters
Scientists have gained new insights into Mars’ interior, shedding light on the formation of rocky worlds, including Earth and the Moon.
“We previously believed that most seismic energy remained confined within the Martian crust. However, this discovery reveals a deeper, faster route, like a seismic highway, through the mantle, enabling quakes to travel farther across the planet,” said InSight team member Constantinos Charalambous.
The meteor impact was recorded in Cerberus Fossae, a highly active seismic region on Mars, located 1,640 kilometers from the InSight lander. The resulting crater, measuring 71 feet in diameter, was much farther from InSight than scientists had anticipated based on the quake’s seismic energy.
NASA noted that Mars' crust possesses unique properties that likely dampen seismic waves from impacts. However, researchers analyzing the Cerberus Fossae impact concluded that its seismic waves traveled through a more direct path via the planet’s mantle.
The team utilized an AI model to analyze images and identify craters within approximately 3,000 kilometers of InSight’s location. By comparing before-and-after images from the Context Camera over a specific period, they discovered 123 newly formed craters. Among them, 49 were potential matches to quakes detected by InSight’s seismometer.
“We initially believed that Cerberus Fossae generated many high-frequency seismic signals linked to internal quakes, but this new evidence suggests that some of the activity may not come from there and could instead be caused by impacts,” Charalambous explained.
The results also emphasize how scientists are leveraging AI to advance planetary research.