News Planetary Science A quake on Mars showed its crust is thicker than Earth’s The find could help explain a dichotomy between elevations in the north and south of Mars The northern hemisphere of Mars (shown in false color) is mostly lowlands (blue), while the southern hemisphere is higher and more mountainous. This elevation map of the Red Planet was created from data from NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor. Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter science team Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Lisa Grossman May 26, 2023 at 9:00 am Planetary scientists now know how thick the Martian crust is, thanks to the strongest Marsquake ever observed.