Intriguing lights on Venus revealed: Meteors, not lightning
Venus experiences thunderstorms akin to Earth, proposing a new, eye-opening theory: the mesmerizing flashes of light on Venus are not lightning but meteors disintegrating as they hurtle through the planet's atmosphere.
This groundbreaking revelation comes courtesy of a study published in the 'Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.' Researchers hailing from Arizona State University undertook this mission to decipher the true nature of Venus's radiant phenomena. Their investigation involved a meticulous analysis of the luminous occurrences, observed both at the Steward Observatory and Japan's Akatsuki orbiter.
The study presents a puzzling conundrum, describing Venus's lightning as «either ubiquitous, rare, or non-existent, depending on how one interprets diverse observations.» The enigma deepens with the findings presented in the Plain Language Summary, available in the online library of Advancing Earth and Space Sciences.
It reads, «In this study, we argue that these optical flashes were plausibly produced by meteor fireballs ∼100 km above the surface, not by lightning in the clouds. If so, then lightning poses no significant threat to balloon missions in the clouds of Venus.»
One critical distinction between Venus and Earth lies in their respective atmospheres.
Venus, unlike Earth, is adorned with sulfuric acid clouds instead of water vapor. This disparity raises compelling questions about the true source of the luminous outbursts on Venus, casting doubt on the lightning theory and leaning more towards meteors as the cause.
This revelation carries profound implications, extending beyond the realm of scientific curiosity.
