NASA Confirms Existence of Long-Hypothesized Ambipolar Electric Field

Breakthrough detection sheds light on Earth's atmospheric dynamics and opens new avenues for planetary research.

NASA's Endurance mission detected the ambipolar electric field, a weak but fundamental force in the upper atmosphere.
This field influences the 'polar wind,' driving charged particles into space above Earth's poles.
The discovery helps explain the ionosphere's structure and atmospheric escape mechanisms.
The field's detection was achieved with a suborbital rocket launched from Svalbard, Norway.
Researchers believe similar fields may exist on other planets, impacting their atmospheric evolution.