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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
06:04
Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory
Published on: November 16, 2013
SEIS: Insight's Seismic Experiment for Internal Structure of Mars
P Lognonné1, W B Banerdt2, D Giardini3
11Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot (UMR 7154 CNRS), Planetology et Space Science Team, 35 Rue Hélène Brion, Paris, 75013 France.
Space Science Reviews
|March 19, 2019
Summary
The Seismic Experiment for Internal Structure (SEIS) will provide unprecedented seismic monitoring on Mars, significantly improving upon Viking mission data. This advanced instrument aims to detect marsquakes and impacts, offering new insights into the planet's internal structure.
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Seismology
- Geophysics
Background:
- The SEIS instrument builds upon the legacy of the Viking seismometers, deployed 42 years prior.
- It represents a significant technological advancement in Mars seismic monitoring capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To deploy and operate the Seismic Experiment for Internal Structure (SEIS) instrument on the Martian surface.
- To achieve a broad seismic bandwidth coverage (0.01 Hz to 50 Hz) for detailed internal structure analysis.
- To detect and characterize marsquakes and impact events for a better understanding of Mars' interior.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of a six-axes seismometer, including Very Broad Band (VBB) and short-period (SP) sensors, via a robotic arm.
- Utilizing advanced thermal and wind shielding for optimal sensor performance.
- Data transmission includes continuous VBB/SP components and event-triggered data at various sample rates.
Main Results:
- SEIS offers a significant improvement in resolution over Viking data, by a factor of at 1 Hz and at 0.1 Hz.
- Projected detection threshold of moment magnitude at epicentral distance.
- Anticipated detection of tens of marsquakes and approximately five impacts annually.
Conclusions:
- SEIS is poised to revolutionize our understanding of Mars' internal structure through high-fidelity seismic data.
- The instrument's design and deployment strategy ensure robust performance in the Martian environment.
- Future data distribution will be facilitated through a comprehensive ground segment, including processing and outreach.
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