The Sun enters a period of maximum activity, called solar maximum, which occurs approximately once every 11 years. During this period, gigantic explosions erupt on the star’s surface, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
When a series of such solar events occur, it is called a solar storm. These events release radiation into space.
While on Earth we are protected by the planet’s magnetic field, Mars long ago lost these defenses, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the Sun’s energetic particles.
Scientists still don’t know how much solar storms will affect humans and robots on Mars in the future, but they hope to find out during the phenomena, all thanks to NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) probe and rover Curiosity.
MAVEN, which entered the Red Planet’s orbit in 2014, observes radiation, solar particles and more from high above Mars.
It can detect large solar flares early from its position and therefore send warnings to other spacecraft teams on Mars when radiation levels start to rise.
Advance warning allows missions to shut down instruments that might be vulnerable to solar flares, which can interfere with electronics and radio communications.
It’s a team effort that should allow scientists to learn more about how hospitable Mars really is
Meanwhile, the Curiosity rover, which has been on Mars since 2012, is on the ground collecting data through its Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD).
RAD helps scientists understand what level of radiation protection astronauts could expect if they used caves, lava tubes or rocks to shield themselves.
It looks at how radiation breaks down carbon-based molecules on the surface, a process that could affect whether signs of ancient microbial life are preserved there.
During these solar storms, the MAVEN team will notify the Curiosity team when they detect a large solar flare so they can track changes in the RAD data.
It’s a team effort that should allow scientists to learn more about how hospitable Mars really is, so space agencies can then decide what kind of radiation protection astronauts would need.
This could be crucial in determining how humans might live on Mars in the future.
To really test the dangers that Mars could pose, scientists are hoping for some brutal storms during the “solar maximum” period in the coming months.
Shannon Curry, principal investigator of NASA’s MAVEN team, said: “For people and goods on the Martian surface, we do not have a clear idea of the effect of radiation during solar activity. In fact, I would like to see the ‘big event’ ‘ on Mars this year – a big event that we can study to better understand solar radiation before astronauts go to Mars,” according to Sky News.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow DCNews on Google News as well
