Parker Solar Probe discovers Natural Radio Emission in Venusian Atmosphere
In what was the first direct measurement of the Venusian atmosphere in nearly 30 years, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, during a brief swing by Venus, detected a natural radio signal that revealed the spacecraft had flown through the planet’s upper atmosphere.
- Researchers had last obtained direct measurements of Venus’ ionosphere from Pioneer Venus Orbiter in 1992.
Key Findings
- The recently published study confirms that Venus’ upper atmosphere undergoes puzzling changes over a solar cycle.
- When Parker Solar Probe was closest to Venus (for just seven minutes) during its latest flyby, the probe’s FIELDS instrument detected a natural, low-frequency radio signal.
- The researchers used ....
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