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Marsquakes May Cause Rocks to Roll Downhill

Scientists have found evidence that marsquakes can trigger rockfalls, similar to how earthquakes cause rockfalls on Earth. This discovery could help in understanding seismic activity on Mars.

Researchers analyzed high-resolution images of Mars taken after a marsquake and identified hundreds of new imprints left by tumbling boulders. These rockfalls can serve as a proxy for seismic data, which is challenging to gather across the solar system.

Data from NASA's InSight lander, which detected over a thousand marsquakes, was used. Many of these quakes originated in the Cerberus Fossae region, known for its dynamic landscape with slopes, cracks, and moving rocks.

The study focused on a specific marsquake in July 2019 near Cerberus Fossae. By comparing images from before and after the quake, scientists found 27 new linear features, likely tracks made by bouncing boulders.

This finding represents a significant increase compared to the average of about two such features forming annually in Cerberus Fossae. The researchers concluded that the nearby marsquake was likely the cause.

However, mysteries remain, as all observed rockfalls occurred on the north side of a valley, despite more boulders being present on the south side. This suggests the complex Martian landscape may affect seismic wave propagation.

The team suggests that searching for boulder falls in other locations could aid space exploration. Tumbling boulders could act as indicators of seismic activity, helping to identify areas to avoid for future human settlements in the absence of direct seismic data.

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