Venus ’s atm is 93 times heaver than Earth ’s , the melodic phrase is mostly C dioxide , the planet is covered in sulphur dioxide cloud , and ground temperatures reach 860 degrees . And yet lightning works exactly the same manner on both planets .
If you take the two atmospheres out of the equation , it ’s no wonder that astronomers often bring up to Venus as Earth ’s twin . They have similar size , mass , and Department of the Interior , nominate the two planets look nearly the same if you never bother to depend at their different surfaces . Of course , when you do take their atmospheres into consideration , then the two planets could n’t be any more dissimilar . curtly of vaporize straight into a gas colossus or landing onto the surface of Sun , the Venusian surface might be the most uttermost and inhospitable place for a human in the entire solar system .
And it is n’t just that the aura are frame of very dissimilar combinations of chemicals . Planetary scientists long think that the underlie automobile mechanic of the two air were fundamentally different , which is why the discover of very Earth - comparable lightning on the planet is such a seismic disturbance . Indeed , some theorizer thought Venusian lightning was an impossible action , because the swarm there are essentially smog clouds , which do n’t normally father lightning on Earth .
Researcher Christopher Russell explains how they made this find :
“ We have analyzed 3.5 Earth - year of Venus lightning data using the low - altitude Venus Express data ( 10 minutes per twenty-four hour period ) . By comparing the electromagnetic waves get at the two satellite , we found stronger magnetised signaling on Venus , but when converted to energy flux we found very similar lightning strength . ”
The exact mechanic of lightning generation is still a morsel of a secret , but basically it ’s an electrical discharge induce as clouds form around solar energy leave in the air . Lightning is very important because of the incredible temperatures it can create – as high as 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit – which can temporarily make condition that tolerate certain molecules to form that could never occur under normal atmospheric shape . In fact , there ’s some guess that lightning help spark the beginnings of life on Earth by creating vitally needed molecules .
Obviously , lightning did n’t help create life on Venus . Even so , it does appear to operate and work in much the same way as it does on Earth , which suggest Earth and Venus really are essentially standardized , even on the surface .
[ Space ; image by Christopher Russell is artist ’s conception of future probe monitor Venusian lightning . ]
AstronomyAtmosphereMad astronomyScienceSpace
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