A quake on the → planet
Mars, probably caused by some phenomena other than
→ tectonic plate motions.
Unlike Earth, Mars seems to lack tectonic
plates. Therefore, its quakes are thought to arise from the slow
cooling of the planet over time, which causes the
→ crust to contract
and develop fractures. These quakes can also come
from the impact of → meteorites
and possibly the movement of
→ magma deep below the surface.
On April 6, 2019,
the instrument called Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure
(SEIS) on NASA’s Mars → InSight Mission
lander recorded quakes that appear
to have come from inside the planet, the first time ever
a likely marsquake.
See also: → Mars; → quake.
