Overview
- A study published February 27, 2026 in Science Advances reports a whistler-like electromagnetic signal in MAVEN data from June 21, 2015 that matches a lightning-generated radio wave.
- The event was recorded on Mars' nightside about 349 kilometers above a region of crustal magnetism and its timing and frequency sweep fit modeled propagation from a surface discharge.
- After accounting for travel losses, researchers estimate the source energy to be comparable to a strong lightning strike on Earth.
- The team visually examined 108,418 MAVEN plasma-wave snapshots and found only one candidate, consistent with detections requiring near-vertical crustal fields, nighttime conditions, and a weak ionosphere.
- Perseverance microphones recently captured many crackling sounds linked to dust storms that indicate smaller local discharges, while limited instrument coverage and a reported months-long loss of MAVEN contact hinder rapid follow-up.