Solar storms, ignited by the sun’s heightened activity, have captivated Earth and Mars with their captivating effects. NASA missions, including the Curiosity rover, have diligently observed the consequences of these storms on Mars, where the extremely thin atmosphere poses a potentially hazardous radiation environment. Understanding these effects is of utmost importance for future human missions to the Red Planet.
The aftermath of solar storms is vividly captured in the images collected by Curiosity’s cameras. Charged particles from these storms bombard the camera, creating specks across the captured images, particularly noticeable in animated sequences. Two animations from Curiosity’s Navigation Camera vividly illustrate these charged particles, resembling snow or static over the Martian landscape.
While these images may appear visually stunning, the radiation dose astronauts would experience on Mars’ surface during such a solar storm would be substantial. NASA estimates that they would be subjected to 8,100 micrograys of radiation, comparable to 30 chest X-rays. Although this dosage would not be fatal, it represents a significant radiation spike that necessitates exploration of protective measures for future astronauts.
One potential solution lies in utilizing the Martian terrain for shelter, such as seeking refuge underground. Cliffsides or lava tubes could provide additional shielding from such events. However, in Mars orbit or deep space, the radiation dosage would be significantly amplified, according to Don Hassler, lead researcher for Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector instrument at the Southwest Research Institute.
NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars have also detected the effects of solar storms on the planet’s surface. Some instruments have even temporarily malfunctioned, such as one of the Mars Odyssey’s cameras, which was disabled for approximately an hour. Additionally, the Maven (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter observed auroras over Mars, which occur through a distinct mechanism compared to Earth due to Mars’ lack of a global magnetic field.
Christina Lee, Space Weather Lead for Maven at the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, remarked, “This was the most substantial solar energetic particle event that MAVEN has ever witnessed. We have experienced several solar events in recent weeks, resulting in successive waves of particles impacting Mars.”
