Mars Phobos satellite is gradually collapsing under the influence of tidal forces

NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona

One of the satellites of Mars, Phobos, rotates in an orbit 6000 km high. This is the minimum distance to the planet among all other satellites in the solar system. Among the fans to speculate about extraterrestrial intelligence, Phobos is considered an extraterrestrial station created in time immemorial by another civilization. However, the reality is somewhat different.

Phobos, although rather unusual, but still a natural satellite of Mars. And the planet acts on its satellite destructively: under the influence of the tidal forces of Mars, Phobos will completely collapse in 30-50 million years. A sign of destruction is shallow cracks, which are clearly visible in the satellite images of the Red Planet.

“We believe that Phobos has already begun to collapse, and the first signs of this destruction are the appearance of cracks,” says NASA Terry Harford. Scientists presented the results of their research on November 10, 2015.

Previously, the cracks on Phobos were considered a consequence of the influence of the very factor that led to the formation of the Stickney crater . It was a certain object that collided with Phobos in the distant past, and this collision almost destroyed the satellite of Mars. Nevertheless, specialists were able to establish that the cracks are not radial formations, but diverge from a point located nearby.

Another theory, quite popular earlier, suggests that these cracks are the result of the impact of some other object on the surface of Phobos, and the dimensions of this cosmic body were much smaller than the dimensions of the object that formed Stickney. Scientists still managed to prove that longitudinal formations arose during the influence of tidal forces.

Interestingly, a similar theory was put forward by other scientists immediately after the discovery of furrows by the Viking spacecraft 30 years ago. But they did not accept the theory, since they considered Phobos a solid, solid object, and tidal forces considered it to be an insignificant factor, unable to exert such a strong influence on the satellite of Mars. Now, after creating a computer model, scientists have come to the conclusion that Phobos is not an integral object. Its center is a solid core surrounded by an approximately 100-meter layer of caked regolith. Regolith is relatively easy to crack.

According to the observations of scientists, some of the cracks are already fully formed, and some are in the process of formation.