Mars Dust Storms Spark With Electricity, Scientists Confirm
Mars is not just dusty. It also crackles with electricity. Scientists have now confirmed electric sparks inside Martian dust storms. NASA’s Perseverance rover captured this evidence. Its SuperCam microphone detected unusual signals while studying dust devils. As a result, researchers uncovered a hidden electrical process.
First Direct Detection on Mars
The SuperCam microphone recorded strong sounds from inside two dust devils. Scientists later traced these signals to electric discharges. These sparks resemble mild static shocks felt on Earth.Researchers predicted this activity decades ago. However, this marks the first direct observation on Mars. Therefore, the finding represents a major scientific milestone.
Dust Creates Electricity
The sparks form when tiny dust grains collide. Friction builds electrical charges on each particle. Eventually, the charge releases as short electric arcs.These arcs also create small shock waves. The microphone captured those sounds clearly. For example, similar effects occur in Earth’s deserts, but they are weaker.
Mars Is Different
Mars has a very thin atmosphere. It consists mostly of carbon dioxide. Therefore, sparks form more easily than on Earth.Less electrical charge is needed to trigger discharges. As a result, Mars provides ideal conditions for this phenomenon. This difference helps explain why sparks were detected there first.
