One of the largest meteor impacts ever witnessed in the solar system was recorded by two different Mars missions. This impact caused seismic waves to severely envelop the planet, allowing scientists to learn more about Mars’ interior structure.
The crater formed on Mars allowed us to learn more about the planet
As a result of this collision, which took place on December 24, 2021, a magnitude 4 earthquake was observed with the NASA Insight vehicle. However, researchers examining surface images collected from orbit by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have noticed a huge crater forming at the same time as earthquakes following the meteor impact.
Stating that such a large crater is unprecedented, the researchers hope that they will be able to reach more information about Mars. While the scientists said that the discovered crater is an exciting moment in the history of geology, they stated that they will continue their research.
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The meteor that hit the planet is estimated to be between 5 and 12 meters wide. This impact, which created a crater 152 meters wide and 21 meters deep, provided new findings about the planet. When it slammed into the planet, it turned out to eject a meteor and debris from the crater up to 37 kilometers away, exposing layers below the surface.
The impact of Metour also spawned a huge crater, as well as seismic waves spread across the planet’s surface. Stating that the formation of these surface waves is very rare, the researchers state that they have reached more information about the crust structure of the planet.
With this new information, the researchers revealed that the area between the impact area and the propagating fragments has a higher density. Previous measurements indicated that the crust beneath the land had a lower density. On this surface, it is thought that different types of rock or subterranean rocks may have formed by a different process than in other parts of the planet.
This massive meteor hitting Mars showed that researchers should look at the red planet from a wider perspective. So what do you think about the surface of Mars and the crater formed? You can share your views with us in the comments section.