Scientists analyzed 28 hours of recordings over two Martian years, listening for electrical signals.
Dust devils on Mars could be brewing electric currents, and scientists may have just heard them strike the arid landscape in a first-of-its-kind discovery. Planetary scientists detected new evidence of lightning on Mars in sounds and electrical signals captured by the Perseverance rover, suggesting the Red Planet’s dusty surface causes electrification.
Astronomers have long theorized that lightning exists on Mars but have thus far failed to find direct evidence of it. The newfurther deepens our understanding of Mars’ atmosphere and may have implications for future human-led missions to the neighboring planet.. The team of researchers behind the new study analyzed 28 hours of recordings captured by the rover’s SuperCam microphone. By listening to the sounds of Mars, the team identified interference and acoustic signatures in the recordings that are characteristic of lightning. A total of 55 events were detected over a period of two Martian years . The majority of the time when lightning was detected, it correlated with strong winds on Mars, dust devils, and dust storms. The study suggests that wind plays an important role in sparking lightning. Unlike Earth, Mars’ atmosphere is too thin to support tornadoes. Instead, as air near the planet’s surface heats up and rises to meet the cooler, denser air, it begins to rotate. As more air joins the column, it picks up speed, as well as dust, and. NASA’s Viking mission was the first to spot the devils on Mars in the 1970s, and the dusty phenomenon was later captured by the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. On Earth, lightning commonly strikes along with thunderstorms. Dust devils on Earth, however, also produce similar friction that sometimes generates electric charges, with dust particles rubbing against each other instead of water and ice inside thunderclouds. That friction builds up charges, and the increasing buildup can be released in the form of lightning. For that reason, scientists have theorized that lightning, or electrical discharges within the atmosphere, takes place on Mars. A 2009found signs of electrical discharges during dust storms on the Red Planet, suggesting evidence for dry lightning. Follow-up research, however, failed to detect radio evidence of the so-called dry lightning. The new study presents an unprecedented direct detection of lightning on Mars, based on the acoustics produced by electric discharges. The scientists behind the study, an international team of researchers led by Baptiste Chide from the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology in France, note that the electrostatic discharges could pose a threat to the roaming rovers, as well as future astronaut missions to the Red Planet. “A better understanding of these discharges will help to protect future explorers from their effects,” the researchers wrote.Google Nest Cam Drops to Record Low Just One Month After Release, Profit Clearly Isn’t the Black Friday StrategyDJI Neo Fly More Combo Is Being Cleared Out at a Price That Makes It Look Like a Budget Brand Mini DroneNASA’s $4.5 Billion Starliner Deal With Boeing Cut to Just 4 Flights After Embarrassing FailuresPassant RabieThe Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander is big, beautiful, and preparing to launch within the next four months. Can Blue Origin actually pull this off?In 2026, a first-of-its-kind spacecraft—launched on a rocket dropped out of a plane—will attempt to save NASA’s Swift observatory from a fiery demise. Yes, really.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Fatal disease detected at Texas facility linked to 'ghost deer' smuggling ringThe positive samples were taken from deer at a facility owned by Ken Schlaudt, 64, of San Antonio. Schlaudt is tied to the ongoing “Ghost Deer' investigation, which authorities describe as one of the largest deer smuggling networks in state history.
Read more »
Dark Matter May Have Finally Been Detected in Our Galaxy's GlowThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Read more »
Tap water deemed unsafe after traces of gasoline detected in Ventura neighborhoodA neighborhood in Ventura is being told to avoid their tap water Wednesday morning after traces of gasoline were detected in the water.
Read more »
Scientists capture the crackling sounds of what they believe is lightning on MarsCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have detected what they believe to be lightning on Mars by eavesdropping on the whirling wind recorded by NASA's
Read more »
Mars Has Lightning, Scientists ProveThe presence of electrical activity has implications for surface chemistry, future human exploration and habitability on the Red Planet
Read more »
NASA's Perseverance rover hears lightning sounds on MarsScientists have detected what they believe to be lightning on Mars by eavesdropping on the whirling wind recorded by NASA's Perseverance rover. A French-led team reported Wednesday that the crackling of electrical discharges was captured by a microphone on the rover.
Read more »