2023-08-08 04:00:08
On October 28, 2021, a huge burst of plasma and magnetized particles erupted from the Sun. This massive solar flare hit the Earth, Moon and Mars, flooding them with radiation. And, for the first time, instruments on all three bodies measured this event almost simultaneously.
A huge solar eruption called coronal mass ejection (CME) appears on this image from the Observatory of solar dynamics.
Credits: NASA/Goddard/SDO
On Mars, the orbiter ExoMars (ExoMars is the name of a space mission of the European Space Agency planned for…) of the European Space Agency (The European Space Agency (ESA) (in English European Space Agency : ESA) is…) and NASA’s Curiosity rover recorded the influx of energized particles. The Moon was hit by the particles, detected by CNSA’s Chang’e-4 and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (For namesakes, see Pierrot lunaire, a work of vocal music by Arnold Schönberg.) (LRO) by The NASA. On Earth, the satellite (Satellite may refer to:) Eu:CROPIS of the German Center for Aerospace (Aerospace (common feminine singular noun) is a scientific discipline that…) recorded the radiation (Radiation is a transfer of energy in the form of waves or particles, which can be…).
Understanding these events, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), is essential for future space exploration. On Earth, our magnetic field (In physics, the magnetic field (or magnetic induction, or flux density…) protects us from most of these dangerous solar fluxes. However, the Moon and Mars do not have a magnetosphere ( The magnetosphere is the region surrounding a celestial object in which protective phenomena, so more radiation reaches their surfaces.
The coronal mass ejection (CME) of October 28, 2021, observed by ESA’s SOHO satellite.
Credits: ESA
This radiation can seriously harm astronauts. Indeed, a high dose can cause irritation, nausea, blood disorders, immune weakness and even cancer. Fortunately, the CME of October 2021 was much less powerful than this dangerous dose. However, their frequency (In physics, frequency generally refers to the measurement of the number of times a…) and their intensity increase as the peak of activity approaches (The term activity can refer to a profession. ) solar of 11 years.
The new study reveals that the Earth’s magnetic field made the radiation negligible. Mars received regarding one-thirtieth of the initial dose, but more than half of the radiation reached the lunar surface. Studying these CMEs helps scientists develop shields to protect future astronauts.
“Space radiation poses a real danger to our exploration of the solar system,” said Colin Wilson, scientist. TGO.
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