Spotty proton auroras on Mars form when turbulent conditions around the planet allow charged hydrogen particles from the Sun to enter the Martian atmosphere. Images from August 5 show typical atmospheric conditions, in which the EMM EMUS instrument detects no unusual activity at two wavelengths associated with the hydrogen atom. But on August 11 and 30, the instrument observed unequal auroras at both wavelengths, indicating turbulent interactions with the solar wind. © EMM / EMUS
Proton auroras observed on Mars
