Solar Winds Heighten Mars' Atmospheric Loss, Impacting Exploration

WHO:

Gizmodo - Lana Williams, physicist at Lancaster University, led the new study on Martian atmospheric dynamics.

Gizmodo - Collaborators included astronomers from the UK’s University of Leicester and Spain’s Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia-CSIC in Granada.

WHAT:

Phys.org - The solar wind consists of high-speed charged particles released by the sun.

Gizmodo - NASA’s Opportunity rover stopped communicating with Earth on June 10, 2018, after being engulfed by a severe Martian dust storm.

Gizmodo - New research indicates that solar energetic particle (SEP) events can heat Mars’ lower atmosphere and increase the severity of dust storms.

Gizmodo - An increase of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) was recorded during a June 2018 SEP event at altitudes of approximately 47 and 78 miles (75 and 125 kilometers).

Gizmodo - A July 2021 SEP event produced a smaller increase in Martian temperatures, between one tenth and one fifth of the June 2018 event.

WHERE:

Phys.org - Mars' upper atmosphere is directly affected by solar wind due to the lack of a strong global magnetic field.

Gizmodo - Data was analyzed from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft and the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - The June 2018 SEP event coincided with a global dust storm on Mars.

Gizmodo - A May 2024 solar storm is anticipated to be significant, with evidence captured by NASA’s Curiosity rover.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The study aimed to determine the effects of solar storms on Martian weather patterns, particularly dust storms.

HOW:

Gizmodo - The researchers scrutinized data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft and the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter to assess the impact of solar energetic particles on Mars' atmosphere.

(UPDATED August 1, 2026 11:22 UTC)

A new study led by physicist Lana Williams from Lancaster University reveals that solar energetic particle events can significantly heat Mars' lower atmosphere and exacerbate dust storms, with a notable increase of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit recorded during a June 2018 event. Collaborators from the University of Leicester and the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia-CSIC contributed to this research, which analyzed data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft and the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter. Looking ahead, a significant solar storm is anticipated in May 2024, with NASA’s Curiosity rover expected to capture valuable evidence of its effects on Martian weather patterns.