Evaluating the wind-induced mechanical noise on the InSight seismometers

TL;DR

This study assesses wind-induced mechanical noise on the InSight Mars lander seismometers, finding that noise levels are generally below critical thresholds, ensuring mission success.

Contribution

It provides the first in-situ wind environment analysis and mechanical noise modeling for the InSight mission's seismic measurements on Mars.

Findings

Lander mechanical noise may be detectable but is usually below noise requirements.

Mechanical noise is below 3 dB of the total noise for over 97% of the time.

The results inform optimal deployment site selection for SEIS.

Abstract

The SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structures) instrument onboard the InSight mission to Mars is the critical instrument for determining the interior structure of Mars, the current level of tectonic activity and the meteorite flux. Meeting the performance requirements of the SEIS instrument is vital to successfully achieve these mission objectives. Here we analyse in-situ wind measurements from previous Mars space missions to understand the wind environment that we are likely to encounter on Mars, and then we use an elastic ground deformation model to evaluate the mechanical noise contributions on the SEIS instrument due to the interaction between the Martian winds and the InSight lander. Lander mechanical noise maps that will be used to select the best deployment site for SEIS once the InSight lander arrives on Mars are also presented. We find the lander mechanical noise may be a detectable signal on the InSight seismometers. However, for the baseline SEIS deployment position, the noise is expected to be below the total noise requirement >97% of the time and is, therefore, not expected to endanger the InSight mission objectives.