A phenomenon observed for the first time thanks to the ultra -efficient probe of NASA.
After 10 years of research, NASA has just made a key revelation on the red planet, nickname given to Mars. The sun bombed Mars with real “solar projectiles” for billions of years, depriving it of its atmosphere and its water. This strange phenomenon is called “spitting” (or “spraying” in French) and was able to be observed for the first time thanks to the ultra -efficient Maven probe, in orbit on Mars since 2014.
Concretely, energy particles of the sun (called “solar ions”) collide at high speed with the high atmosphere of Mars and eject atoms in space. “”Imagine them like “cannonballs” launched in a swimming pool“Who strike the planet, by gradually tearing his protective shield, illustrates Shannon Curry, researcher at NASA and the main author of the study published in Science Advance.
By proving that the sun has directly “attacked” Mars, NASA explains why this planet lost the dense atmosphere which once allowed liquid water to subsist on its surface. Without this protection, the water has evaporated, transforming the planet into this cold, arid and unusable desert that we know today. It is therefore a major advance to understand why Mars has become so inhospitable and that seriously complicates Elon Musk’s great dream to colonize this planet and make it habitable. A dream that is for the moment of pure science fiction … This phenomenon observed on Mars concerns us more than we think. It shows how a planet can lose its habitability if it does not have a solid magnetic shield. Let us reassure ourselves: we, humans, do not risk anything immediately. On Earth, fortunately, we are much better protected than Mars.
Our planet has a powerful magnetic field and a dense atmosphere that form a real natural shield against solar particles. This prevents these projectiles from hitting our soil directly or tearing our atmosphere as they did on Mars. However, very powerful solar storms can still disturb our technologies, such as satellites, electrical networks or radio communications. They can also create magnificent boreal aurora, sometimes visible very far from the polar circle. So, even if we do not risk becoming an icy desert like Mars, these phenomena remind us that our modern life depends strongly on systems vulnerable to the activity of the sun.
