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Exploring Uncertainty of Single-station Focal Mechanism Inversions of Cerberus Fossae Marsquakes

From 2019 to 2022, the SEIS instrument of the InSight lander recorded over 1300 seismic events, including tectonic marsquakes and meteorite impacts. Although marsquake focal mechanisms provide key insight into tectonic stresses in the Martian interior, robust solutions have only been possible for a small number of high-quality low-frequency family events. Many of these events are located in the Cerberus Fossae extensional region, approximately 30 degrees east of InSight’s landing site in Elysium Planitia. Past studies broadly agree that some of the largest magnitude Cerberus Fossae marsquakes are the result of normal faulting with fault orientations approximately aligned with the fossae system, although more complex solutions have been suggested. Here, we explore some of the unique challenges of single-station focal mechanism inversions of marsquakes in order to better understand their uncertainties and to develop an optimal inversion approach. In particular, we investigate i) the effect of the relatively unknown subsurface velocity structure, and ii) the influence of body-wave window duration and weighting schemes on waveform-based focal mechanism inversions. Additionally, using our preferred inversion parameters, we present focal mechanisms for several Cerberus Fossae marsquakes that do not yet have published solutions.

Session: Exploring Planetary Interiors and Seismology: Observations, Models, Experiments and Future Missions [Poster]

Type: Poster

Room: Exhibit Hall

Date: 4/17/2025

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Christyna Moore

Student Presenter: Yes

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 104

Additional Authors