The search for water on Mars has long been a holy grail for scientists and space enthusiasts alike. As traditional methods used on Earth have proven ineffective in detecting liquid water deep beneath the Martian surface, a groundbreaking new approach involving the study of marsquakes has emerged as a potential game-changer.
Researchers from Penn State University, led by doctoral candidate Nolan Roth and Professor Tieyuan Zhu, have proposed an innovative technique that could revolutionize our understanding of Mars’ hydrological history. Their study suggests that by analyzing the electromagnetic signals produced by marsquakes, scientists may be able to identify the presence of water located miles underground on the Red Planet.
“We explore the possibility of detecting and characterizing subsurface water on Mars using natural signals called seismo-electric interface responses,” the study authors noted. “These seismo-electric interface responses can be created when marsquakes interact with liquid water held in deep aquifers, so they can be used as unambiguous signs of mobile water.”
Marsquakes, similar to earthquakes on Earth, are seismic activities that result from the sudden release of energy within the Martian interior, causing ground vibrations. These quakes can be triggered by various factors, including volcanic activity, tectonic movements, or the impact of meteorites. By studying the patterns and characteristics of marsquakes, scientists can gain valuable insights into the internal structure and geological activity of Mars.
NASA’s InSight lander, which landed on Mars in 2018, has played a crucial role in detecting and analyzing these marsquakes, providing researchers with a wealth of data to work with.
“The scientific community has theories that Mars used to have oceans and that, over the course of its history, all that water went away. But there is evidence that some water is trapped somewhere in the subsurface. We just haven’t been able to find it,” explained Roth.
The researchers propose utilizing the seismoelectric method to detect the presence of water on Mars. This approach relies on the unique electromagnetic signals that are produced when seismic waves pass through underground aquifers.
“If we listen to the marsquakes that are moving through the subsurface, if they pass through water, they’ll create these wonderful, unique signals of electromagnetic fields,” said Roth. “These signals would be diagnostic of current, modern-day water on Mars.”
Interestingly, the dry surface of Mars may actually make it easier to detect these seismoelectric signals compared to Earth, where the presence of moisture in the subsurface can often muddle the signals.
“On Mars, where the near-surface is certainly desiccated, no such separation is needed. In contrast to how seismoelectric signals often appear on Earth, Mars’ surface naturally removes the noise and exposes useful data that allows us to characterize several aquifer properties,” explained Professor Zhu.
The researchers have already taken the next step in their research, which may involve analyzing data that has already been collected on Mars. NASA’s InSight lander, equipped with both a seismometer and a magnetometer, could provide the necessary data to potentially detect seismoelectric signals from existing measurements.
