Lightning detected on Mars for the first time, scientists say
Scientists believe they have recorded electrical activity in the Martian atmosphere for the first time, suggesting the planet is capable of lightning.
Nasa’s Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars in 2021, was sent to search for signs of biology and has spent the last four years exploring the Jezero Crater region.
Electrical discharges nicknamed “mini lightning” were picked up from audio and electromagnetic recordings made by the rover’s SuperCam instrument.
Scientists hope new instruments for measuring atmospheric discharges and more-sensitive cameras could be sent to Mars to try to confirm the findings.
A team of researchers from France analysed 28 hours of microphone recordings made by the Nasa rover over two Martian years (or 1,374 Earth days).
They found that electrical discharges were normally associated with dust devils and dust storm fronts.
Dust devils are small whirlwinds that form from hot air rising from the ground, and their internal movements can give rise to electrical discharges.
Lead author of the research Dr Baptiste Chide told news agency Reuters: “These discharges represent a major discovery, with direct implications for Martian atmospheric chemistry, climate, habitability and the future of robotic and human exploration.”
He and other scientists at the Institute for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology in France believe that Mars now joins Earth, Saturn and Jupiter as planets known to have atmospheric electrical activity.
Particle physicist Dr Daniel Pritchard wrote in scientific journal Nature that, although the recordings would “provide persuasive evidence of dust-induced discharges”, because the discharges were only heard and not seen, “some doubt will inevitably remain as to whether this really was Martian lightning”.
He added: “Given the history of this field, the debate is likely to continue for some time.”
In September this year, scientists found rocks with unusual markings on Mars.
The intriguing markings, nicknamed leopard spots and poppy seeds, contain minerals produced by chemical reactions that could be associated with ancient microbes.
It is possible the minerals were produced by natural geological processes, but Nasa said the features could be the clearest signs of life ever found.
Today, Mars is a cold and arid desert. But billions of years ago there is evidence that it had a thick atmosphere and water, making it a promising place to look for past life.
Perseverance was dispatched to the Jezero Crater because it showed qualities that may have meant it was once conducive to life, including signs it was once a delta when Mars could sustain liquid surface water.
source www.bbc.co.uk
Aaron
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Scientists believe?
They ‘believe’ alot of things, most of their ‘beliefs’ are false
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Aaron,
Yes, true SCIENTISTS believe most things Albert Einstein is known to have stated: “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.” The only thing a true SCIENTIST can KNOW is what PREVIOUSLY accepted Ideas (theories) have been proven to be WRONG by reproducible OBSERVABLE FACTS.
Have a good day
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Herb Rose
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And yet you constantly tell us that the theories you believe have been proven by experiments and are OBSERVABLE FACTS.
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Robert Beatty
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Recently, I read that Earth was going to run out of CO2 in about 40,000 years! So I checked with a couple of notable geologists and they agreed. The theory is that all Earths’ CO2 will become frozen in CaCO3. So we are following a similar path to Mars. This puts Anthropogenic Global Warming into perspective.
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Herb Rose
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Rather strange prediction considering Mars’ atmosphere is primarily CO2.
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Seriously
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OK, this is out there but has crossed my mind more than once.
What if Mars, Mercury and Venus, used to be in earth’s position? Orbit wise?
They represent progressions as planets get pulled closer to the sun…
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Herb Rose
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Hi Seriously,
The sun is continuously creating atoms of different elements. The lighter atoms are ionized and propelled into space as the solar winds. When the energy level decrease with distance from the sun ions and electrons recombine to form atoms, which then combine to form molecules. The sun is constant losing mass.
The larger elements being formed cannot escape and build up on the surface blocking the reaction of energy converting neutrons into atoms. When these ashes get to thick the sun explodes expelling them into space creating trash piles called planets, asteroids, and other orbiting objects. After this occurs the size of the sun shrinks and the distance to the trash piles increases. The solar winds continue to add matter to the trash piles producing different layers.
The Earth is now at a position where liquid water collects, which is the position that Mars once occupied and Venus will occupy in the future when the sun shrinks again.
It is the sun that changing size as it expels matter, not planets moving closer to it.
Herb
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Jerry Krause
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Hi PSI Readers,
This comment has several purposes. Because of AI I found this link (https://space.physics.uiowa.edu/smallcomets/wp.html). The story told by Louis a Frank, U of Iowa, illustrates a common SCIENCE problem of the past and present. The first problem might be that you will not read Frank’s story.
Have a good day
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