Scientists detect 'micro-lightning' on Mars for first time

Researchers have detected electrical discharges dubbed "micro-lightning" in the Martian atmosphere for the first time, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

As well as on Earth, lightning has also been documented on Saturn and Jupiter. However, until now, the existence of electrical activity on Mars has been suspected but never directly demonstrated.

A lack of suitable equipment has made it difficult to gather evidence of lightning on the red planet, but an international research team led by Baptiste Chide from France's Institute for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology in Toulouse realized that the SuperCam microphone on NASA's Perseverance rover might have serendipitously recorded sounds of electrical discharges in the atmosphere.

The researchers documented 55 instances of what they call "mini lightning" over two Martian years, primarily during dust storms and dust devils.

Of the 55 distinctive acoustic bursts identified, seven coincided with electromagnetic interference. The acoustic signatures of the remaining 48 bursts matched those of the confirmed events, leading the researchers to conclude that all 55 bursts were caused by electrical discharges in the atmosphere of Mars.

The recordings provide persuasive evidence of dust-induced discharges that fit with scientists' understanding of how such events would occur on Mars. However, the discharges were only heard and not seen, and no visible evidence of such activity has ever been recorded, despite the presence of several cameras on Mars over the years.

Researchers believe that the findings are compelling enough to open fresh avenues of research. In the future, new instruments to measure atmospheric discharges could be sent to Mars to try to confirm the findings.