NASA's InSight lander senses Martian Wind

InSight lander senses the Martian Wind

In December 2018, NASA's InSight lander achieved a groundbreaking milestone by capturing the first-ever 'sounds' of Martian winds, providing an unprecedented auditory experience from the Red Planet.

InSight, which stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport, successfully touched on Mars on November 26, 2018, to study the planet's interior structure.

Equipped with a highly sensitive seismometer known as the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), InSight is designed to detect seismic activities, including marsquakes and vibrations caused by various surface phenomena.

On December 1, 2018, just days after landing, InSight's SEIS instrument detected subtle vibrations from wind flowing over the lander's solar panels.

These vibrations, occurring at a frequency within the human audible range, were estimated to be caused by wind blowing at speeds between 10 to 15 mph (16 to 24 km/h) across Mars' Elysium Planitia, the flat plain where InSight is stationed.

The recorded sounds resemble a low rumble, akin to the ambient noise of wind blowing through terrestrial structures. This auditory data offers a new dimension to our understanding of Mars, complementing visual and atmospheric information from previous missions.

SEIS's exceptional sensitivity enabled the detection of these wind-induced vibrations. Designed to measure ground movements as small as the diameter of an atom, SEIS can capture a wide range of seismic frequencies.

Its primary objective is to study seismic waves traveling through Mars' interior, providing insights into the planet's composition and geological activity. However, the instrument also proved adept at sensing surface vibrations caused by environmental factors such as wind.

This dual functionality underscores the versatility of SEIS and its critical role in enhancing our comprehension of Martian geophysical processes.

In addition to SEIS, InSight is equipped with the Auxiliary Payload Sensor Suite (APSS), which includes air pressure sensors and a magnetometer.

The APSS recorded corresponding fluctuations in air pressure, corroborating the seismometer's data and providing a comprehensive picture of the interaction between the Martian atmosphere and surface.

These synchronized measurements enable scientists to distinguish between seismic signals originating from the planet's interior and those induced by atmospheric conditions, thereby refining the accuracy of the data interpretation.

The successful capture of Martian wind sounds not only represents a technological triumph but also engages the public's imagination, offering a tangible connection to the alien environment of Mars.

This achievement paves the way for future missions to incorporate similar sensory instruments, enriching our solar system exploration with multisensory data and fostering a deeper appreciation of the diverse phenomena occurring on other planets.

NASA has made the audio recordings publicly available so that those interested in experiencing the sounds of Martian wind firsthand can immerse themselves in the ambient hum of another world.