NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured a mysterious high-pitched scratch on the surface of Mars.
The sounds were recorded as the rover drove past Jezero Crater, an area scientists believe was once inundated with water and home to an ancient river delta.
🔊 Did you hear that? That’s the sound of me driving over Mars rocks. This is the first time we’ve captured sounds while driving on Mars.
Read the full story: https://t.co/oqdnCJShjm pic.twitter.com/yKwypUSnE7
– NASA’s Persistence Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) March 17, 2021
In the clip you can also hear a dissonant mix of ponies, pings and rattles, such as Perservance’s six wheels roll over the rocky terrain of Mars.
“If I heard these noises driving in my car, I would stop and call a tug,” said NASA engineer Dave Gruel. “But if you take a moment to think about what you’re hearing and where it’s recorded, it makes perfect sense.”
However, the cause of the peculiar screeching remains unknown.
Perseverance engineers suspect it was caused by electromagnetic interference from the rover’s electronics boxes or by interactions between the mobility system and Mars’ terrain. The team says they will continue to investigate the cause.
NASA released two separate recordings of Perseverance’s 90-foot drive on March 7.
The first version features over 16 minutes of raw, unfiltered sounds generated by the rover’s wheels and suspension rolling across the surface, as well as the high-pitched scratches.
The second clip is a 90 second compilation of sounds from the trip, which have been processed and edited for clarity.
They were recorded by Perseverance’s Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) microphone during a 100-foot ride on March 7.
The standard microphone was added to the rover to allow the public to hear the sounds of the February 18 touchdown, but it will remain operational today.
[Read: Elon Musk’s SpaceX unveils plans for historic all-civilian mission to space]
A second microphone installed on Perseverance’s SuperCam instrument also sends sounds back to Earth.
They include recordings of the groaning Martian wind and a fast ticking sound produced by the laser zapping the Supercam’s rocks to understand their structure. Scientists will use the data to look for signs of microscopic life.
Vandi Verma, a NASA engineer and rover driver, said only the audio provides insights about the red planet:
The variations between Earth and Mars – we have a visual sense for that. But sound is a completely different dimension: seeing the differences between Earth and Mars and experiencing that environment better.
You can listen to all recordings here. Let us know if you hear any signs of alien life.
Read more:
Facebook makes a wearable that uses your nerve signals to control AR environments