New Study Sheds Light on Voyager-2's Findings at Uranus After 38 Years
A recent study has provided new insights into one of the longstanding mysteries surrounding the data collected by the Voyager-2 spacecraft during its historic flyby of Uranus in 1986. The research indicates that Voyager-2 may have encountered a rare solar storm, which could explain the unexpectedly high-energy electron belt observed around the planet.
Uranus and Neptune are the only planets in our solar system that have been visited by a single spacecraft, Voyager-2, which provided a wealth of data but also raised significant questions, particularly regarding the unusually strong electron belt detected at Uranus.
Researchers from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in the United States propose that Voyager-2's findings may be attributed to a "Co-rotating Interaction Region" (CIR), a phenomenon in the solar wind known for causing intense radiation storms.
The team suggests that this rare solar event could explain the high-frequency waves detected by Voyager-2, which were previously a mystery. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Robert Allen, the lead researcher, noted that advancements in science and new observational data from Earth have enabled a reinterpretation of the Voyager-2 data. The team referenced a similar solar event that occurred in 2019, which significantly accelerated electrons in Earth's Van Allen radiation belts.
Comparing data from Earth with that collected by Voyager-2 revealed notable similarities, supporting the hypothesis that Uranus was not in a typical state during the spacecraft's flyby.
The study posits that these intense solar waves could be key to understanding the additional energy detected by Voyager-2, as they may accelerate electrons to speeds nearing the speed of light.
If validated, this hypothesis could reshape scientists' understanding of Uranus's magnetic field over the past four decades and enhance knowledge of similar processes on Neptune.
Allen emphasized the importance of these findings, stating, "These results provide further justification for a dedicated mission to Uranus. It is time for that."
The researchers highlighted that many questions remain unanswered, underscoring the need for a new mission to explore how these waves form, what conditions enhance them, and why they were particularly strong during Voyager-2's visit.
