This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission. Credit: NASA/GSFC
NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission has been investigating the Red Planet’s atmosphere for over a decade. Although contact with the orbiter was lost in December 2025, and the mission officially concluded on June 3rd, the data collected continues to enhance our understanding of Mars’ atmospheric dynamics and various phenomena, including Martian aurorae.
Discovery of Martian Aurora Formation
A recent study led by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, has shown that auroras on Mars form through mechanisms similar to those on Earth. Utilizing data from several of MAVEN’s scientific instruments, the team discovered that the same process responsible for circulating charged solar particles into Earth’s atmosphere—the Dungey Cycle—also operates on Mars.
However, due to the differences in magnetic fields between the two planets, Martian aurorae manifest on a much smaller scale. The findings were published in the paper titled “Miniature Dungey-like cycle at Mars” on July 23rd in the journal Nature Communications.
The Dungey Cycle Explained
The Dungey Cycle, named after British space scientist James Dungey, describes the mechanism that drives electrical currents in Earth’s magnetic field, accelerates charged solar particles, and governs plasma circulation in Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a planet-wide magnetic field, possessing only localized magnetospheres formed from intensely magnetized crustal sections scattered across its surface.
This loss of a protective magnetic field means Mars experiences atmospheric loss in a manner distinct from Earth. The MAVEN mission has observed highly localized auroras over these crustal magnetic fields, but the physics behind their formation has only recently been fully understood.
Instruments and Methodology
To elucidate the Dungey-like cycle on Mars, the research team analyzed data from MAVEN’s Magnetometer, Solar Wind Electron Analyzer (SWEA), and Suprathermal and Thermal Ion Composition (STATIC) instrument. These instruments helped determine the configuration of Mars’ magnetic fields, derive electrical currents, and measure plasma flows in the ionosphere.
Shaosui Xu, an associate research physicist at the Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley and the study’s lead author, remarked, “We knew that magnetic reconnection was happening at Mars but did not expect it to be like the Dungey cycle. We really pushed the limit of STATIC to get the data we needed. It was the final piece to the puzzle in understanding these localized auroras.”
Implications for Future Exploration
The insights gained from this research not only clarify the processes behind Martian auroras but also enhance our understanding of how space weather interacts with the Red Planet. This knowledge is crucial for future robotic and crewed missions to Mars. Additionally, the findings indicate that Dungey-like mechanisms can occur on both large and small scales, potentially offering clues about similar processes elsewhere in the Solar System.
Shannon Curry, MAVEN’s principal investigator and a research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, stated, “This is a remarkable result that changes how we think of Martian auroras and is another important step toward understanding why Mars and Earth have evolved so differently despite being governed by the same underlying physics.”
This article was produced by NeonPulse.today using human and AI-assisted editorial processes, based on publicly available information. Content may be edited for clarity and style.
