Solar Storm Hits Mars's Atmosphere

Mars was directly hit by a powerful solar storm in May 2024, one of the strongest recorded in over two decades. This solar eruption caused radiation levels around Mars to spike dramatically, with the Trace Gas Orbiter absorbing a radiation dose equivalent to about 200 normal days in just 64 hours. The storm also led to a significant increase in charged particles and electrons in Mars's upper atmosphere, with the lower layer increasing by 45% and the higher layer surging by 278%. Scientists from the International===European Space Agency, including Jacob Parrott and Colin Wilson, studied this event using data from the Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft, employing a new radio occultation technique. The findings improve understanding of how solar storms affect planets without strong magnetic fields, like Mars, and how these events contribute to atmospheric loss over time. The storm also caused temporary computer errors on the spacecraft, highlighting the challenges of space weather.