Written by Stephen M. Lepore for Dailymail.Com
Scientists think they may have found records of rock falls on Mars caused by earthquakes on the Red Planet.
The rocks leave fishbone-like patterns, and thousands of them have been spotted, according to NASA research.
Scientists say the trail lasted for several years before being swept away or crushed by strong winds and surrounded by dust and sand.
This is the first time that deposition of rock – known as ‘rock eruptions’ on Mars – has previously been found on the Moon as well as in comets – but researchers are more curious as to whether rocks currently exist or fall. happened, this is in the last few years.
The images were taken between 2006 and 2020 by a camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE, which was launched in 2005. Researchers in a laboratory in India can see details as small as 10 inches.
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Persistent Mars explorers have led scientists to believe they have found records of rock falls on the Red Planet caused by recent earthquakes.
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Path observed by the High-Resolution Imaging Mars Science Experiment Camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (HiRISE)
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The trail is seen as evidence of recent seismic activity on the Red Planet, which many previously believed saw all of its geological activity occurring many years ago.
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“We can distinguish between individual rocks,” said Dr Vijayan, one of the research project leaders.
Note that this is good because HiRISE cameras have exceeded their designed life.
A study published in December showed that tracks could be used to determine seismic activity on Mars, proving that the planet is currently dynamic, contradicting the scientific notion that geological activity largely stopped on Mars last year.
“We have long thought that Mars was this cold, dead planet,” said Brown University planetary scientist Ingrid Dubar.
Vijayan and his team found more than 4,500 rocky trails that span a mile and a half.
The researchers studied thousands of photos taken from 2006 to 2020, which means a lot of activity has occurred in the last 15 years.
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“For a long time we thought Mars was this cold, dead planet,” said Brown University planetary scientist Ingrid Dubar.
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The tracks, sometimes changing direction or branching, are possible evidence of a boulder shattering in the middle of autumn.
More interestingly, a third of the pathways were discovered after the search began in 2006, meaning the activity that caused them occurred in the last 15 years.
Since a common occurrence of rockfall is seismic activity, they believe this could prove evidence of earthquakes on Mars.
Scientists such as Alfred McQueen of the University of Arizona say this may be due to the proximity to where the study was conducted in a volcanic region, making seismic activity possible.
“Giant blobs of solid rock laden at the surface create pressure throughout the crust that surrounds Mars,” said Dr. McQueen, who was not involved in the study.
The HiRISE camera is part of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which was launched in 2005
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HiRISE has previously made discoveries like stream cliffs on the Red Planet
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The earthquakes were detected by NASA’s InSight 2019 lander and number in the hundreds. Two of the biggest events occurred in the area they focus on, known as the Cerberus Fossae.
Vijayan’s team believes the next step is to take the camera to the cold polar regions of Mars.
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