Unexpected waves in data from a silent probe reveal new effect in Mars’ atmosphere

An artistic representation of the Zwan-Wolf effect at Mars, as observed by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission. (Image credit: LASP/CU Boulder)

doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72251-9
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A surprising discovery from data collected by NASA’s MAVEN probe, which orbits Mars, is changing what scientists knew about how the solar wind interacts with planets without a strong magnetic field like Earth’s

It all began when researchers were analyzing data from the spacecraft and noticed small, interesting wiggles in the magnetic field recordings as it traversed the Martian atmosphere.

MAVEN, whose main mission is to study the evolution of Mars’ atmosphere and how it is affected by the Sun, captured these signals during a major solar storm that hit the Red Planet in December 2023. What seemed like ordinary noise on the instruments ended up revealing a phenomenon never before observed in another planetary atmosphere: the Zwan-Wolf effect.

This effect, known for decades in Earth’s magnetosphere, works similarly to squeezing a tube of toothpaste.

Charged particles are squeezed along magnetic structures called flux tubes, which helps deflect the solar wind.

In the case of Mars, which lacks a protective global magnetic field, scientists didn’t expect to see something like this happening directly within the ionosphere, the upper layer of the atmosphere rich in ionized particles.

Christopher Fowler, assistant research professor at West Virginia University and lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications, explained that while investigating the data, he suddenly noticed these intriguing oscillations.

“I never would have imagined it would be this effect, as it’s never been seen in a planetary atmosphere before,” he said.

The team needed to investigate extensively, comparing observations during the storm with data from calmer periods and ruling out other explanations before arriving at the correct conclusion.

In addition to variations in the magnetic field, the researchers observed other curious characteristics, such as higher-than-expected temperatures for ions in the atmosphere.

Everything fit perfectly with the Zwan-Wolf effect acting at surprising depths, less than 200 kilometers from the Martian surface.

The solar storm amplified the phenomenon, making it detectable by MAVEN’s instruments, which would not normally be able to capture it under normal conditions.

This suggests that the effect may be occurring constantly, but subtly, in the Martian ionosphere.

This discovery has important implications for understanding how solar storms shape Mars’ atmosphere over time.

Without magnetic protection, the solar wind-a constant stream of charged particles from the Sun-is already responsible for stripping gases from the Martian atmosphere, contributing to the gradual loss that transformed the planet from a possibly humid world in the past to the cold, dry desert it is today.

Now, it is clear that phenomena such as the Zwan-Wolf effect can further influence this interaction, affecting how the atmosphere responds to spacetime events.

MAVEN continues to operate and send valuable data even after years in orbit, helping scientists unravel the secrets of space weather on Mars.

This new observation reinforces the importance of studying not only Earth, but also other planets to better understand the processes that govern the solar system.

In the future, insights like this could be crucial for planning manned missions to Mars, ensuring that astronauts are protected against the unpredictable effects of solar wind and solar storms.

In short, what began as simple oscillations in the data from a silent probe opened a new window into the invisible processes that occur in the Martian atmosphere, showing that the universe holds surprises even in places we have studied for years.

Published in 05/27/2026 14h13

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Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.

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