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Science Mars Also Hit By Solar Flares
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - February 24, 2006 2:58 AM
Print 8 comment(s) - last by slyczar.. on Feb 25 at 4:14 PM
Just like our planet, it has been confirmed that Mars is also affected by solar flares

Although astronomers believed for several years that the upper atmospheres of Mars were affected by solar flares, it wasn't until recently that there was solid evidence of this claim.  A solar flare is a short outburst of energy from small sections of the sun's surface.   On April 15, 2001, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) first provided scientists with measurements of changes in a layer of the Red Plane's atmosphere after it experienced a solar flare.   

The finding confirms that solar flare radiation affects the ionospheres of Earth and Mars in similar ways, despite the different chemical compositions of the planets' atmospheres. Earth's ionosphere is populated largely by oxygen and nitrogen, while the Martian ionosphere contains mostly carbon dioxide.

This is an important discovery because manned missions to Mars may be in the future, which would require scientists to have a basic understanding of the environment that surrounds Mars.

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Lost
By Googer on 2/24/2006 11:28:56 AM , Rating: 2
I think this might help to explain why so many Martian missions have failed over the years. Solar radiation can disrupt sensitive electronics and block radio transmissions. With out the ability to commicate or controll the probes sent there by NASA the rovers are just chunk of scrap metal sent to another planet.




RE: Lost
By sieistganzfett on 2/24/2006 12:46:54 PM , Rating: 2
and the delay for communication between earth and a probe there on mars could also be a reason. without good ai the probe would get damaged by falling of cliffs, a better ai will solve most of the issues with communication.


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