Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
Venus, with its harsh environment, extreme temperatures, and unbreathable atmosphere, has long intrigued scientists due to its historical resemblance to Earth. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to embark on its inaugural mission to explore Venus' surface, known as Shukrayaan, in December 2024. However, some researchers have recently made a stunning discovery regarding the mysterious planet, using NASA's space vehicle
Space physicists at the University of Colorado in Boulder have presented compelling evidence challenging the long-standing scientific debate about lightning on Venus, suggesting that it may not occur as frequently as previously thought. The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, delves into the mysteries of Venus
Venus, Earth's closest neighbour, is characterised by its dense carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere, creating a runaway greenhouse effect. The planet boasts extreme conditions, including temperatures soaring to 900 degrees Fahrenheit and crushing atmospheric pressures, making it hostile for spacecraft
Researchers utilised NASA's Parker Solar Probe, initially designed to study Sun's corona and solar wind. During a flyby in February 2021, the probe detected dozens of "whistler waves", which are often associated with lightning on Earth
Contrary to expectations, the team's analysis suggests that these whistler waves may not be linked to lightning but rather to disturbances in Venus' weak magnetic fields
Credit: University of Colorado Boulder
This finding aligns with a 2021 study led by Marc Pulupa of the University of California, Berkeley, which failed to detect radio waves generated by lightning strikes on Venus
Credit: NASA
The debate about Venus and lightning traces back to 1978 when NASA's Pioneer Venus spacecraft detected whistler waves above the planet's surface. Some scientists hypothesised that Venus might experience lightning strikes seven times more frequently than Earth
Researchers noted an unusual pattern in Venus' whistler waves, as they appeared to move downward toward the planet, contrary to the outward propagation typically associated with lightning storms. The team suspects magnetic reconnection as a potential cause
Credit: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
The research team plans to collect more data to definitively rule out lightning as the source of these whistler waves. Their next opportunity will come in November 2024 when the Parker Solar Probe makes its final pass by Venus, descending to less than 250 miles above the planet's surface. This extended data collection aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Venus' enigmatic atmospheric phenomena