NASA announced on August 28 that it has proven for the first time the existence of a third energy field around the Earth, the “ambipolar electric field.” This major discovery sheds light on the main source of the phenomenon called “ polar wind, ” which scientists have been searching for for more than 60 years .
Scientists discover ambipolar electric field after 60 years of search
Before the ambipolar electric field had been discovered yet, in 1968 scientists observed mysterious particle streams flowing into space over the Earth’s south and north poles and noticed that these streams were cold, meaning they showed no signs of warming.
This led to the theory that there might be an electric field around the Earth that drives particles. However, the existence of this field has not been proven until now. A rocket mission carried out in 2022 as part of NASA’s “ Endurance ” project confirmed the existence of this field. The rocket reached an altitude of 768 kilometers and measured the plasma environment in the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere and detected a potential difference of only 0.55 volts.
This extremely weak electric field causes the atmosphere to expand, allowing some ions to escape into space. The discovery could help us better understand Earth’s atmospheric processes and evolution, and could play a critical role in assessing whether other planets are also suitable for life.
It will also provide new clues about the history of the Earth, helping us to understand the dynamics of our planet more deeply. You can access the details of the research published in the journal Nature here . What do you think about this discovery? How could the discovery of the bipolar electric field affect the search for life on other planets? You can write your opinions in the comments section below.
{{user}} {{datetime}}
{{text}}