Impact events on Mars explained

In modern times, numerous impact events on Mars have been detected. Although most have been inferred from the appearance of new impact craters on the planet, some have corresponded to marsquakes felt by the InSight lander.[1] To date, no impacting meteors have been directly observed as a fireball or discovered in space before impact.

Overview

As the best-explored planet in the Solar System (after Earth), Mars has been continuously explored by various spacecraft, landers, and rovers since 1997. The first probe to image Mars's surface in detail was Mariner 4 in 1965, and Mariner 9 became the first probe to orbit Mars in 1971. However, few early probes were able to image Mars in high enough resolution to detect new impact craters, which are typically less than 10m (30feet) across. Early probes reached resolutions of 790m (2,590feet), while Mariner 9 was able to reach 98m (322feet).[2] From 1976 to 1982, Viking 1 and Viking 2 imaged all of Mars at 150m (490feet) resolution, with some areas imaged in up to 8m (26feet) resolution.[3]

The Mars Global Surveyor, active from 1997 to 2006, was the first spacecraft able to image Mars in high enough resolution to detect new impacts, with a resolution of up to 1.5m (04.9feet). The first detected impact, a 14.4adj=onNaNadj=on-diameter crater in southern Lucus Planum, happened between 27 January 2000, and 19 March 2001. Since then, over 1,200 new impact craters have been found on Mars with 2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, over 1,100 of which were found by the last.

Unlike on Earth, most impact craters on Mars come in clusters, caused by the meteor partially fragmenting before impact.[4] Due to Mars's tenuous atmosphere, with just 0.6% the surface pressure of Earth's, incoming meteors are much less prone to breaking up.[5] while a 10adj=onNaNadj=on asteroid falling over Earth is unlikely to reach the surface intact before being destroyed in a meteor air burst,[6] a 10adj=onNaNadj=on asteroid falling over Mars may leave a crater over 100m (300feet) across, or several smaller craters tens of meters across.[7]

There is significant observation bias in the locations of discovered impact craters: certain locations on Mars are of much more geological interest, and so are imaged more frequently and in detail than less notable ones.[4] Additionally, many new craters are first noticed by their 'blast zone' of ejecta, which can be 10-100 times the size of the crater itself.[4] However, only certain regions of Mars have subsurface material that can be ejected to create these features; in particular, the Tharsis rise, Olympus Mons, Elysium Mons, and Arabia Terra. As a result, very few impacts have been detected outside of these regions, despite impacts in theory happening randomly across the planet.[4]

Despite these biases, the existing observations of new Martian impacts suggest that asteroids of a given size impacting the planet are about 3 times more common than on Earth and the Moon,[8] with roughly 240 4adj=onNaNadj=on craters and one to seven 30adj=onNaNadj=on craters forming each year[9] (compared to the observed ~0.8). Larger impactors also seem to be more relatively frequent than on Earth or the Moon (i.e. the size-frequency distribution slope is shallower).[10] If this holds true for larger asteroid sizes, this suggests that Mars may be in a modern impact surge,[10] although atmospheric deceleration of small asteroids might explain the unexpectedly shallow slope, which would become more consistent with predictions for larger asteroids.[10]

List of notable impacts

The following is a list of detected impact events with a crater size of >15 meters, which excludes most meteoroid impacts (<1 meter asteroids). 10-15 meter craters discovered before 2010 are also included, before the rate of discovering such craters became dozens per year.

Date[11] DetailsDiscoveryLocationNotes
Discovery dateMedian
impact date
[12]
Uncertainty
(days)
Crater
diameter
(m)
Impactor
diameter
(m)
[13] [14]
Impactor
mass
(tonnes)
Ice-exposing?Discovery
spacecraft
Reference
spacecraft
quadrangleRegionCoordinates
2001-03-19 2000-08-22 208 14.4 0.92–2.8 1.2–11 no -8.786°N 182.673°W
2001-12-05 2000-09-13 447 37.3 2.7–8.0 29–260 no 0.933°N 191.746°W
2002-10-08 2002-02-14 236 19.9 1.3–4.0 3.5–34 no 4.962°N 277.789°W
2003-04-15 1990-07-29 4643 15.3 0.99–3.0 1.5–14 no 22.814°N 219.91°W
2003-05-07 2002-12-02 155 22.6 1.5–4.6 5.5–50 no 20.427°N 3.295°W
2003-07-17 2001-11-12 611 17.5 1.1–3.4 2.3–21 no -3.616°N 234.243°W
2003-08-20 2001-07-11 770 25.2 1.7–5.1 8.0–72 no 5.469°N 224.353°W
2003-12-11 2002-08-06 491 24.5 1.7–5.0 7.3–65 no 21.958°N 14.605°W
2004-01-27 2003-11-19 69 12.0 0.75–2.3 0.67–6.0 no Eumenides Dorsum 1.686°N 199.382°W
2004-02-07 2003-09-12 147 16.8 1.1–3.3 2.1–18 no 27.055°N 268.332°W
2004-04-22 2004-03-07 45 10.6 0.66–2.0 0.44–4.0 no 5.353°N 223.324°W
2004-05-15 2004-04-19 25 33.5 2.4–7.1 21–180 no 2.479°N 224.105°W
2004-06-25 2003-08-30 299 10.0 0.61–1.8 0.36–3.3 no Eumenides Dorsum -0.755°N 200.066°W
2005-01-06 2003-11-01 432 58.2 4.3–13 130–1200 no 34.682°N 352.981°W
2005-03-21 2002-04-20 1066 36.4 2.6–7.7 27–240 no 5.131°N 290.591°W
2005-04-29 2004-05-01 362 10.7 0.66–2.0 0.46–4.1 no 28.99°N 26.926°W
2005-06-08 2005-04-06 62 53.9 4.0–12 100–900 no Tithoniae Fossae -2.355°N 278.259°W
2005-06-13 2003-04-10 795 15.6 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no 23.087°N 52.879°W
2005-06-22 2004-07-20 337 10.6 0.66–2.0 0.44–4.0 no 3.397°N 253.91°W
2005-09-07 2005-05-06 123 12.9 0.82–2.5 0.85–7.7 no 1.09°N 284.42°W
2005-11-26 2004-12-01 359 16.7 1.1–3.3 2.0–18 no 26.158°N 23.628°W
2006-01-06 2005-06-10 210 18.6 1.2–3.7 2.9–26 no 13.851°N 206.582°W
2006-01-12 2004-09-12 487 20.8 1.4–4.2 4.2–38 no 10.375°N 250.216°W
2006-01-31 2006-01-10 20 21.7 1.5–4.4 4.8–43 no 25.601°N 52.147°W
2006-02-07 2005-02-06 366 12.1 0.76–2.3 0.69–6.2 no 4.771°N 180.145°W
2006-02-13 2005-12-25 50 10.6 0.66–2.0 0.44–4.0 no 19.774°N 207.425°W
2006-02-14 2005-03-28 323 29.3 2.0–6.1 13–120 no -0.033°N 226.907°W
2006-02-21 2006-02-08 12 15.4 0.99–3.0 1.5–14 no 24.676°N 261.522°W
2006-02-25 2006-01-10 45 11.0 0.68–2.0 0.50–4.5 no -4.37°N 264.598°W
2006-02-26 2005-02-21 370 16.9 1.1–3.3 2.1–19 no 13.709°N 275.674°W
2006-02-26 2005-09-04 174 17.7 1.2–3.5 2.4–22 no 28.455°N 25.196°W
2006-02-26 2005-12-07 87 36.8 2.6–7.8 28–250 no 6.989°N 247.914°W
2006-07-10 2005-04-11 454 11.2 0.70–2.1 0.53–4.8 no -4.545°N 256.914°W
2006-07-13 2005-10-30 255 10.8 0.67–2.0 0.47–4.2 no Phlegra Rise 29.497°N 155.825°W
2007-03-27 2004-11-25 851 14.3 0.91–2.7 1.2–11 no 27.613°N 279.526°W
2007-04-06 2006-01-12 449 13.0 0.82–2.5 0.87–7.9 no -6.057°N 334.342°W
2007-04-14 2006-09-26 199 10.1 0.62–1.9 0.38–3.4 no -3.107°N 233.105°W
2007-10-15 2007-05-30 137 10.3 0.64–1.9 0.40–3.6 no 16.612°N 246.315°W
2007-11-27 2006-07-28 487 22.0 1.5–4.4 5.1–45 maybe Galaxias Colles 39.373°N 149.373°W
2007-12-20 2007-07-02 171 16.0 1.0–3.1 1.7–16 no 14.524°N 268.85°W
2008-05-01 2007-02-21 434 36.2 2.6–7.7 27–240 no -7.052°N 210.263°W
2008-05-07 2007-01-07 486 10.3 0.64–1.9 0.40–3.6 no Fortuna Fossae 2.386°N 266.725°W
2008-05-09 2006-11-20 536 12.3 0.77–2.3 0.73–6.5 no -1.28°N 250.12°W
2008-06-15 2006-11-14 578 15.0 0.96–2.9 1.4–13 no 32.747°N 37.632°W
2008-06-28 2006-07-01 728 12.0 0.75–2.3 0.67–6.0 yes 46.179°N 188.495°W
2008-06-29 2006-10-18 619 11.6 0.72–2.2 0.60–5.4 maybe 40.322°N 221.222°W
2008-11-14 2008-07-22 114 17.5 1.1–3.4 2.3–21 no 5.455°N 262.318°W
2008-12-14 2007-09-03 468 10.1 0.62–1.9 0.38–3.4 no 14.253°N 237.962°W
2009-01-02 2006-12-13 751 12.4 0.78–2.3 0.75–6.7 no Rhabon Valles 21.442°N 267.224°W
2009-02-18 2008-01-16 399 11.1 0.69–2.1 0.52–4.6 no 5.543°N 177.891°W
2009-04-07 2007-11-24 499 10.3 0.64–1.9 0.40–3.6 no -6.325°N 254.717°W
2009-05-03 2007-06-30 673 15.0 0.96–2.9 1.4–13 no -5.813°N 190.371°W
2009-05-10 2007-05-17 724 10.1 0.62–1.9 0.38–3.4 no -5.734°N 226.414°W
2009-05-20 2008-03-25 421 36.0 2.6–7.7 26–240 no -0.63°N 248.913°W
2009-05-22 2008-09-12 252 10.7 0.66–2.0 0.46–4.1 no Gordii Fossae 14.76°N 230.115°W
2009-06-01 2007-06-29 703 16.4 1.1–3.2 1.9–17 no Eumenides Dorsum -1.496°N 200.625°W
2009-07-10 2007-12-08 580 21.9 1.5–4.4 5.0–45 no -7.302°N 258.141°W
2009-08-05 2007-05-02 825 10.8 0.67–2.0 0.47–4.2 no -4.219°N 220.551°W
2009-08-16 2007-12-24 601 23.3 1.6–4.7 6.1–55 no 29.437°N 49.148°W
2009-12-24 2009-01-09 349 10.1 0.62–1.9 0.38–3.4 no 13.243°N 260.953°W
2009-12-28 2007-08-01 880 12.3 0.77–2.3 0.73–6.5 no 32.294°N 28.959°W
2010-01-18 2007-10-31 809 18.4 1.2–3.6 2.8–25 no -1.326°N 30.799°W
2010-01-21 2007-12-24 758 20.6 1.4–4.1 4.1–36 no Noctis Fossae -3.792°N 264.801°W
2010-01-24 2009-06-25 227 33.8 2.4–7.1 21–190 yes 44.222°N 164.201°W
2010-03-25 2009-03-25 364 20.0 1.3–4.0 3.7–33 yes 63.919°N 44.878°W
2010-08-20 2010-05-31 80 17.4 1.1–3.4 2.3–21 no 41.017°N 126.301°W
2010-09-18 2007-07-02 1173 16.2 1.1–3.2 1.8–16 no -8.65°N 225.048°W
2010-10-08 2008-08-30 768 17.8 1.2–3.5 2.5–22 no Echus Palus 13.365°N 283.771°W
2010-10-23 2009-08-17 431 16.1 1.0–3.1 1.8–16 no 22.774°N 247.591°W
2010-11-23 2010-03-10 258 17.6 1.2–3.5 2.4–22 no 35.869°N 230.873°W
2012-02-03 2011-12-04 61 16.1 1.0–3.1 1.8–16 no Avernus Cavi -4.526°N 172.452°W
2012-02-18 2010-06-24 604 16.7 1.1–3.3 2.0–18 no -1.751°N 221.294°W
2012-03-11 2010-04-02 708 21.2 1.4–4.2 4.5–40 no 15.942°N 248.613°W
2012-03-26 2011-12-26 91 24.2 1.6–4.9 6.9–62 no -14.433°N 132.7°W
2012-03-28 2012-03-27 0 48.7 3.6–11 71–640 no 3.35°N 219.404°W
2012-05-09 2010-03-07 793 19.6 1.3–3.9 3.4–31 no 2.037°N 44.546°W
2012-05-16 2011-06-20 331 22.8 1.5–4.6 5.7–51 no 3.68°N 53.428°W
2012-07-05 2010-08-29 675 16.1 1.0–3.1 1.8–16 yes 39.109°N 190.253°W
2012-07-12 2010-05-12 792 15.3 0.99–3.0 1.5–14 no 28.603°N 36.855°W
2012-10-25 2010-08-26 791 18.1 1.2–3.6 2.6–24 no 5.998°N 68.969°W
2013-02-11 2010-07-30 927 30.2 2.1–6.3 15–130 no -31.391°N 287.907°W
2013-06-08 2012-09-22 259 16.3 1.1–3.2 1.9–17 no -6.924°N 66.947°W
2013-06-21 2010-05-29 1118 24.0 1.6–4.9 6.7–61 no -5.367°N 132.138°W 314km (195miles) from
Curiosity rover (not yet landed?)
2014-02-06 2013-01-29 372 15.1 0.97–2.9 1.4–13 no 34.192°N 280.261°W
2014-02-19 2010-12-20 1157 24.0 1.6–4.9 6.7–61 no 14.85°N 43.893°W
2014-03-14 2011-03-17 1093 16.0 1.0–3.1 1.7–16 no 32.291°N 212.948°W
2014-03-15 2011-02-15 1124 16.7 1.1–3.3 2.0–18 no 29.204°N 22.177°W
2014-03-26 2012-02-16 768 15.7 1.0–3.0 1.6–15 no -13.417°N 225.9°W
2014-05-07 2011-03-20 1144 27.5 1.9–5.6 10–91 no 14.71°N 99.806°W
2014-05-23 2009-11-30 1635 15.3 0.99–3.0 1.5–14 no Sacra Dorsa 8.201°N 290.434°W
2014-07-01 2011-04-04 1184 21.0 1.4–4.2 4.3–39 no 6.254°N 264.444°W
2014-11-30 2013-05-13 565 15.8 1.0–3.1 1.7–15 no 8.635°N 239.427°W
2015-01-18 2011-06-06 1321 19.9 1.3–4.0 3.5–34 no 27.657°N 11.597°W
2015-09-09 2013-08-02 768 21.8 1.5–4.4 4.9–44 no 13.122°N 244.189°W
2016-02-06 2011-08-01 1649 15.5 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no 24.949°N 193.127°W
2016-04-15 2012-07-02 1383 16.3 1.1–3.2 1.9–17 no 25.29°N 155.523°W
2016-05-28 2015-12-29 151 27.9 1.9–5.8 11–100 no 16.659°N 233.284°W
2016-05-30 2013-08-07 1027 48.0 3.5–11 68–610 yes 41.464°N 48.765°W
2016-06-02 2012-05-03 1491 16.0 1.0–3.1 1.7–16 yes 41.913°N 36.426°W
2016-07-22 2012-04-09 1564 18.2 1.2–3.6 2.7–24 no 11.973°N 126.289°W
2016-09-10 2014-07-12 790 17.2 1.1–3.4 2.2–20 no -15.632°N 181.071°W 321km (199miles) from
Spirit rover (defunct).
2016-10-10 2012-07-15 1547 36.6 2.6–7.8 28–250 no 11.042°N 193.009°W
2016-11-19 2013-08-19 1187 15.6 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no 11.311°N 138.279°W 425km (264miles) from
InSight (not yet landed).
2016-12-02 2012-12-27 1436 29.6 2.1–6.2 14–120 no 7.807°N 176.451°W
2017-05-29 2013-09-08 1358 32.5 2.3–6.8 19–170 no 9.261°N 241.894°W
2017-10-01 2014-01-25 1345 19.5 1.3–3.9 3.4–30 no 14.699°N 227.369°W
2017-11-12 2015-12-02 710 15.7 1.0–3.0 1.6–15 no 13.309°N 54.461°W
2018-01-11 2015-02-05 1070 17.5 1.1–3.4 2.3–21 no 35.591°N 42.506°W
2018-03-19 2013-01-08 1895 19.1 1.3–3.8 3.2–28 no -10.122°N 220.782°W
2018-04-29 2014-03-02 1519 23.3 1.6–4.7 6.1–55 no 21.594°N 88.255°W
2018-05-06 2013-05-28 1803 23.7 1.6–4.8 6.5–58 no 6.209°N 235.245°W
2018-05-11 2012-10-02 2047 15.6 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no -2.867°N 16.199°W
2018-08-28 2016-10-24 672 15.6 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no 1.863°N 236.017°W
2018-09-14 2018-08-17 27 15.3 0.99–3.0 1.5–14 no Promethei Planum -81.491°N 41.349°W
2018-11-25 2013-08-22 1920 34.3 2.4–7.3 22–200 no 14.385°N 24.622°W
2018-11-26 2016-08-14 833 52.9 3.9–12 94–850 no -34.649°N 35.967°W
2018-12-03 2014-04-03 1704 15.5 1.0–3.0 1.6–14 no 1.91°N 264.158°W
2019-02-04 2017-11-29 432 17.3 1.1–3.4 2.2–20 no -16.419°N 274.739°W
2019-06-02 2018-04-18 409 17.6 1.2–3.5 2.4–22 no -7.379°N 258.229°W
2020-01-06 2019-10-15 83 20.8 1.4–4.2 4.2–38 no -2.718°N 354.863°W 26km (16miles) from
Opportunity rover (defunct).
74km (46miles) from
Schiaparelli EDM (crashed).
2020-05-27 2020-05-27 0 11.9 0.75–2.2 0.65–5.9 no ? ? 9.382°N 135.377°W Detected by InSight as a
magnitude 2.3 marsquake
2020-06-28 2019-08-03 330 51.6 3.8–11 87–780 no -82.03°N 175.703°W 337km (209miles) from
Mars Polar Lander (crashed).
2020-08-01 2017-09-15 1051 54.2 4.0–12 100–920 no 23.583°N 206.871°W
2021-02-18 2021-02-18 0 3.9 0.22–0.65 0.016–0.14 no ? ? 4.606°N 134.087°W Detected by InSight as a
magnitude 1.4 marsquake
2021-08-31 2021-08-31 0 7.2 0.43–1.3 0.12–1.1 no ? ? 0.397°N 135.688°W Detected by InSight as a
magnitude 1.6 marsquake
2021-09-05 2021-09-05 0 6.1 0.35–1.0 0.070–0.60 no ? 3.974°N 136.963°W Detected by InSight as a
magnitude 1.2 marsquake[15] [16]
2021-09-18 2021-09-18 0 130 11–32 1900–17000 no 34.8°N 280.12°W Detected by InSight[17]
2021-12-24 2021-12-24 0 150 12–37 3100–27000 yes 35.088°N 189.823°W Detected by InSight as a
magnitude 4 marsquake[18] [19]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: NASA's InSight Lander Detects Stunning Meteoroid Impact on Mars . 1 November 2022 . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) . NASA.
  2. Book: Pyle, Rod . Destination Mars . 2012 . . 978-1-61614-589-7 . 73–78 . It was the first spacecraft to enter orbit around another world. ... [It] continues to orbit Mars to this day, sailing around the planet deaf and dumb in the cold darkness..
  3. Web site: Viking 1 & 2 Orbiter Archive . atmos.nmsu.edu . 1 November 2022.
  4. Daubar . I. J. . Dundas . C. M. . McEwen . A. S. . Gao . A. . Wexler . D. . Piqueux . S. . Collins . G. S. . Miljkovic . K. . Neidhart . T. . Eschenfelder . J. . Bart . G. D. . Wagstaff . K. L.. Kiri Wagstaff . Doran . G. . Posiolova . L. . Malin . M. . Speth . G. . Susko . D. . Werynski . A. . New Craters on Mars: An Updated Catalog . Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets . 1 July 2022 . 127 . 7 . e07145 . 10.1029/2021JE007145 . 2022JGRE..12707145D . 10044/1/98223 . 229000379 . 1 November 2022 . 0148-0227. free . free .
  5. News: NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars . 3 November 2022 . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) . NASA . 19 September 2022.
  6. Web site: Marcus . Robert . Melosh . H. Jay . Collins . Gareth . Calculated Results (10 meter, 3 g/cm^3 meteor falling over Earth at 25 km/s vertically) . impact.ese.ic.ac.uk . 3 November 2022.
  7. News: Pow! Mars Hit By Space Rocks 200 Times a Year . 3 November 2022 . Space.com . 20 May 2013 . en.
  8. News: Burnham . R. . How often does Mars get whacked? . 2 November 2022 . Red Planet Report . ASU . 30 June 2011.
  9. Daubar . I.J. . McEwen . A.S. . Byrne . S. . Kennedy . M.R. . Ivanov . B. . The current martian cratering rate . Icarus . July 2013 . 225 . 1 . 506–516 . 10.1016/j.icarus.2013.04.009 . 2013Icar..225..506D . 2 November 2022.
  10. McEwen . A. . Daubar . I. . Ivanov . B. . Obest . J. . Malhotra . R. . JeongAhn . Y. . Byrne . S. . CURRENT IMPACT RATE ON EARTH, MOON, AND MARS. . Lunar and Planetary Science Conference . 2015 . 46 . 2 November 2022.
  11. Daubar . Ingrid J. . New Craters on Mars: An Updated Catalog . Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets . 2 June 2022 . 10.5281/zenodo.6604912 . 1 November 2022.
  12. As the exact impact date isn't known for most craters, the date provided here is midway between the last pre-impact image and the discovery image.
  13. Assuming a meteor velocity of 5-15 km/s, an impact angle of 45°, and a density of 1-3 g/cm3
  14. Web site: Asteroid Impact Crater Calculator - calculates the effects of the impact of an object hitting the earth . www.convertalot.com . 1 November 2022.
  15. News: InSight Detects an Impact for the First Time . 2 November 2022 . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) . NASA.
  16. News: NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars . 2 November 2022 . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) . NASA.
  17. Posiolova . L. V. . Lognonné . P. . Banerdt . W. B. . Clinton . J. . Collins . G. S. . Kawamura . T. . Ceylan . S. . Daubar . I. J. . Fernando . B. . Froment . M. . Giardini . D. . Malin . M. C. . Miljković . K. . Stähler . S. C. . Xu . Z. . Banks . M. E. . Beucler . É. . Cantor . B. A. . Charalambous . C. . Dahmen . N. . Davis . P. . Drilleau . M. . Dundas . C. M. . Durán . C. . Euchner . F. . Garcia . R. F. . Golombek . M. . Horleston . A. . Keegan . C. . Khan . A. . Kim . D. . Larmat . C. . Lorenz . R. . Margerin . L. . Menina . S. . Panning . M. . Pardo . C. . Perrin . C. . Pike . W. T. . Plasman . M. . Rajšić . A. . Rolland . L. . Rougier . E. . Speth . G. . Spiga . A. . Stott . A. . Susko . D. . Teanby . N. A. . Valeh . A. . Werynski . A. . Wójcicka . N. . Zenhäusern . G. . Largest recent impact craters on Mars: Orbital imaging and surface seismic co-investigation . Science . 28 October 2022 . 378 . 6618 . 412–417 . 10.1126/science.abq7704 . 36302013 . 2022Sci...378..412P . 10044/1/100459 . 253183826 . 2 November 2022. free .
  18. News: Greicius . Tony . NASA's InSight Lander Detects Stunning Meteoroid Impact on Mars . 2 November 2022 . NASA . 27 October 2022.
  19. Web site: Candidate Recent Impact Site (ESP_073077_2155) . hirise.lpl.arizona.edu . 2 November 2022.