Webinars - Detail

Seismology in the Solar System: The InSight Mission to Mars
Angela Marusiak, University of Maryland

ABSTRACT

Seismology has been an important tool in the understanding of Earth, and its internal structure and dynamics. Because seismology has helped constrain crust thickness, size and state of the core, and assess seismic hazards at the surface, seismometers have flown on planetary missions. Fifty years ago, the first extraterrestrial seismometer was installed on the Moon by Apollo astronauts. Soon after seismometers were included on missions to Mars. In the past year, the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) has successful landed and deployed the first Martian seismometers onto the surface. In this webinar I will discuss the heritage, goals, first results, and the potential legacy of InSight.

METADATA

Last updated Key Points
2019-09-25
  • Seismology has helped to constrain Earth's crustal thickness, size and state of the core, and assess seismic hazards at the surface
  • Fifty years ago, the first extraterrestrial seismometer was installed on the Moon by Apollo astronauts
  • In 2018, InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) deployed the first Martian seismometers onto the surface