Speaker
Description
Dust grains in the Martial dust storms or dust devils may be electrically charged by
triboelectric effects and laboratory experiments show that under specific conditions electric
discharges might occur in the dusty Martian atmosphere. Remote measurements from the
Earth using a 34-m Deep Space Network antenna have shown a non-thermal component of
electromagnetic radiation from Mars which has been attributed to the effects of discharges in
the dust storms but observations of the radar receiver onboard the Mars Express spacecraft
showed no credible radio signals from Martian lightning between 4 and 5.5 MHz. Direct
measurements of electromagnetic radiation on the surface of Mars are needed to solve this
puzzle.
The Exomars 2022 Surface Platform instrumentation will include the Wave analyzer module,
consisting of an assembly of magnetic and electric antennae and dedicated electronics, as a
part of the Martian ground electromagnetic tool instrument. The module will be dedicated to
the measurement of electromagnetic field fluctuations in the frequency band from 100 Hz to 8
MHz. We plan to experimentally investigate possible radio emissions of atmospheric origin
generated by electrical discharges, as well as electromagnetic waves linked to the interactions
of interplanetary plasma medium with the Martian ionosphere and magnetic anomalies.
