A recent finding about Earth may prove as fundamental to our understanding of the planet’s functioning as gravity itself. While gravity is a critical force that keeps us, the oceans, and the atmosphere in place, it is not the only essential element maintaining the scientific balance of our planet.
NASA scientists have identified another influential force that plays a significant role in Earth’s dynamics. In August, they conducted experiments aimed at uncovering its effects and importance. Given gravity’s prominence, this newly discovered force must be of considerable significance to warrant comparison.
So, what is this fascinating force that NASA scientists have uncovered? It is a type of electrical field concentrated around Earth’s poles. NASA has been aware of this phenomenon for decades; since the 1960s, spacecraft have detected streams of particles flowing into space over the North and South poles, a phenomenon known as the ‘polar wind.’
While it is expected that some particles would escape the atmosphere, the polar wind was an unexpected discovery. A team of scientists, led by Glyn Collinson at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, further investigated this by launching a rocket from Svalbard, an island near the North Pole.
Collinson explained that a planet with an atmosphere has an ‘ambipolar field,’ stating, “Now that we’ve finally measured it, we can begin to learn how it’s shaped our planet as well as others over time.”
The particles they examined were cooler and showed no signs of heating, yet traveled at supersonic speeds. Collinson noted, “Something had to be drawing these particles out of the atmosphere.”
During the rocket launch, they detected a small electrical charge of just 0.55 volts, which is enough to propel hydrogen ions in the solar wind. Alex Glocer, Endurance project scientist at NASA Goddard and co-author of the study, remarked, “That’s more than enough to counter gravity—in fact, it’s sufficient to launch atmospheric particles upwards into space at supersonic speeds.”
Collinson further emphasized, “It’s like this conveyor belt, lifting the atmosphere up into space,” underscoring the significant role this newly quantified phenomenon plays in Earth’s atmosphere.