MAVEN Explores Mars to Understand Radio Interference at Earth

NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft has discovered “layers” and “rifts” in the electrically charged part of the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) of Mars. The phenomenon is very common at Earth and causes unpredictable disruptions to radio communications. However, we do not fully understand them because they form at altitudes that are very difficult to explore at Earth. The unexpected discovery by MAVEN shows that Mars is a unique laboratory to explore and better understand this highly disruptive phenomenon.

Read more:

Music from Universal Production Music. Songs include: "Alpha and Omega," "Break the News" and "Waiting for a Sensation"

Video credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

James Tralie (ADNET):
Lead Producer
Lead Editor
Narrator

Bailee DesRocher (USRA):
Lead Animator

Michael Lentz (USRA):
Art Director

Jonathan North (USRA):
Animator

Krystofer Kim (USRA):
Animator

Jacquelyn DeMink (USRA):
Animator

Bruce Jakosky (LASP):
Scientist

Glyn Collinson (Catholic University of America):
Scientist

Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET):
Technical Support

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio at:

If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel:

Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
· Instagram
· Twitter
· Twitter
· Facebook:
· Flickr

NASA,Mars,Earth Science,Ionosphere,Planets and Moons,Radio Wave,Mars Atmosphere,Mars Upper Atmosphere,Earth,Radio Interference,Radio,Spectral/Engineering,Sun-earth Interactions,James Tralie,