A violent solar superstorm hit Mars and the planet’s atmosphere reacted in a way scientists didn’t expect

Mars Took a Direct Hit From a Solar Superstorm — What Happened Next Surprised Scientists Watching From Orbit (Image: Canva)

• Solar storm in May 2024 flooded Mars atmosphere with electrons
• Mars orbiters recorded extreme radiation and computer glitches
• Mars is more vulnerable to solar storms due to no magnetic field

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A massive solar storm in May 2024 struck Mars. New research describes unusual atmospheric effects and spacecraft glitches. Findings appear today in journal Nature Communications about Mars. Scientists analysed data gathered during the powerful space weather event.

Solar superstorm floods Mars atmosphere with electrons

The storm earlier battered Earth with strongest activity in decades. Bright auroras stretched unusually far south across Mexico. The same storm also swept across the Red Planet. Orbiters from the European Space Agency were already circling Mars during the event. Those spacecraft were Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Instruments aboard the orbiters recorded dramatic radiation conditions. A monitor aboard TGO measured extreme radiation exposure.

The dose equalled about 200 normal days within 64 hours. Scientists later examined how Mars’s upper atmosphere reacted. Lead author Jacob Parrott described the response as remarkable. Electrons flooded the planet’s upper atmospheric layers during the storm. Researchers say such strong effects were rarely observed before. Two atmospheric layers around 110 and 130 kilometres changed. Electron numbers increased roughly 45 percent within the lower layer. The higher layer experienced a surge reaching about 278%.

(Image: ESA)

Spacecraft glitches reveal dangers from solar weather

Energetic particles also interfered with onboard spacecraft computers. Temporary computer errors appeared on both Mars orbiters. Engineers expected such problems during intense solar weather. Radiation resistant systems helped the spacecraft recover quickly afterwards.

Scientists used an unusual radio measurement technique. Signals travelled between Mars Express and the Trace Gas Orbiter. The signal bent through atmospheric layers during disappearance. That bending revealed information about atmospheric structure and density. Additional observations came from MAVEN spacecraft. These measurements confirmed the unusually high electron densities.

Why Mars reacts differently than Earth

Mars reacted differently compared with Earth during the storm. Earth’s strong magnetic field shields much incoming solar particles. That protection weakens atmospheric disturbance caused by solar storms. Mars lacks such a global magnetic field. Solar particles therefore interact more directly with its atmosphere. Co author Colin Wilson explained the importance for planetary science.

Solar storms deposit energy and particles into the martian atmosphere. Scientists believe similar processes slowly stripped Mars of atmosphere. The planet also lost large quantities of ancient water. Researchers say understanding space weather improves mission planning. Dense electrons can interfere with radar signals exploring Mars. Such effects may complicate future investigations of the planet’s surface.