proton aurora tagged posts

Newfound Martian Aurora actually the Most Common; sheds light on Mars’ Changing Climate

Solar wind protons undergo a series of charge exchanges to slip past the bow shock, causing a proton aurora. Credits: NASA/MAVEN/Goddard Space Flight Center/Dan Gallagher

A type of Martian aurora first identified by NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft in 2016 is actually the most common form of aurora occurring on the Red Planet, according to new results from the mission. The aurora is known as a proton aurora and can help scientists track water loss from Mars’ atmosphere.

At Earth, aurora are commonly seen as colorful displays of light in the night sky near the polar regions, where they are also known as the northern and southern lights...

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