Revolutionary discovery by NASA's Perseverance rover: For the first time in history, we have audio confirmation of electrical phenomena inside Martian dust devils, which radically changes our understanding of the chemistry of the Red Planet.

For decades, planetary scientists have theorized, built computer models, and conducted simulations in terrestrial chambers, but until now, crucial evidence from the field was missing. Now, thanks to the advanced instruments of NASA's Perseverance rover, we finally have confirmation: Mars' atmosphere is not just thin and dusty, it is also electrically active. The rover recorded sounds of electrical discharges – sparking and miniature "sonic booms" – inside convective columns of dust known as "dust devils" or dust vortices.

This discovery, published on November 26 in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, represents a turning point in planetary science. Not only does it confirm long-standing hypotheses about the triboelectric effect on Mars, but it also opens entirely new chapters in understanding atmospheric chemistry, the potential habitability of the planet, and the design of safety systems for future robotic and human missions.

Audio recording that changes the history of Mars exploration

The SuperCam instrument on the Perseverance rover, primarily designed for analyzing the chemical composition of rocks using lasers, is also equipped with a highly sensitive microphone. Although the original purpose of the microphone was to listen to laser strikes on rocks to estimate their hardness, it has proven to be one of the most important tools for studying atmospheric dynamics. It was precisely this microphone that recorded a historic moment on October 12, 2024.

As a massive dust devil passed directly over the rover in Jezero Crater, the microphone, amidst the noise of the wind and the impact of sand particles, detected specific "crackles". Analysis showed that these were three clear electrical snaps. These sounds were not mechanical in nature; they were the sonic signatures of electrical breakdown in the thin Martian atmosphere – the equivalent of miniature thunder inside a column of dust.

Dr. Baptiste Chide, a member of the Perseverance mission science team and a planetary scientist at France's L’Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, highlighted the importance of this discovery by comparing it to phenomena on Earth. "Triboelectric charging of sand and snow particles is well documented on our planet, especially in desert regions, but it rarely results in actual electrical discharges visible or audible as sparks," explained Chide. "However, on Mars, the situation is drastically different. The thin atmosphere makes this phenomenon far more likely because the amount of charge needed to create a spark is significantly lower than that required in Earth's dense atmosphere near the surface."

Anatomy of a Martian 'devil': How electrical storms form

To fully understand the significance of this discovery, it is necessary to consider the mechanics of dust devil formation. These phenomena are ubiquitous on the Red Planet and form from rising and rotating columns of warm air. The process begins when sunlight heats the ground, which then transfers heat to the layer of air immediately above the surface.

This heated air becomes thinner and lighter and begins to rise rapidly through the cooler, denser layers of atmosphere above it. As the surrounding air rushes toward the surface to fill the void created by the rising warm air, rotation begins. The moment this inflowing air rises into a column, it starts to spin faster and faster, following the law of conservation of angular momentum – a phenomenon often compared to ice skaters accelerating their spins by pulling their arms close to their bodies. This violent rotation lifts fine dust from the surface, creating a visible "dust devil".

Inside this vortex, invisible but intense physics takes place. Grains of dust and sand constantly collide, rub against each other, and exchange electrons. This process, known as the triboelectric effect, is the same phenomenon we experience when walking in socks on a carpet and then touching a metal doorknob, feeling an unpleasant sting of static electricity. On Mars, inside a vortex that can be several kilometers high, billions of tiny collisions generate a static charge which, as is now confirmed, occasionally becomes strong enough to jump a spark.

Detective work on another planet

The mission scientists did not immediately realize what they had in their hands. SuperCam recorded as many as 55 separate electrical events during the mission, starting from sol 215 (Martian day) back in 2021. Of those events, sixteen were recorded at moments when dust devils were passing directly over the rover or in its immediate vicinity.

Ralph Lorenz, co-author of the study and a scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Maryland, described the excitement while listening to the recordings: "We got several great samples where you can clearly hear that characteristic 'snap' sound of a spark. On the recording from sol 215, you don't just hear the electrical sound, but also the 'wall' of the dust devil passing over the rover. And in the case from sol 1,296, you hear all that plus the impacts of particles on the microphone."

Interestingly, 35 other discharges were associated with the passage of convective fronts during regional dust storms. These fronts are characterized by intense turbulence that favors triboelectric charging and charge separation – a key prerequisite for the generation of static electricity. However, the analysis also brought a surprise: electrical discharges did not increase during seasons of large dust storms, when the global concentration of dust is highest. This data suggests that electricity accumulation is more closely related to localized, turbulent lifting of sand and dust, rather than just high dust density in the atmosphere.

Deep chemical implications: Why is this important for life?

Proof of the existence of electrical discharges on Mars is not just a curiosity of physics; it is a discovery that fundamentally changes our models of Martian geochemistry and astrobiology. The presence of sparking means that Mars' atmosphere can become an electrochemical reactor.

The energy released in these discharges is sufficient to trigger chemical reactions that would otherwise not be possible in a cold and inert environment. The most important consequence is the creation of highly oxidizing compounds, such as chlorates and perchlorates. These compounds are extremely reactive and act like a powerful bleach. Their presence on the surface of Mars is already known, but the mechanism of their constant replenishment was unclear – until now.

This has a dual effect on the search for life:

• Destruction of organic matter: Perchlorates and other oxidants effectively break down organic molecules, which are the building blocks of life. This means that traces of ancient (or present) life on the surface could be chemically "erased" by the action of these electrical storms over millions of years.


• The methane mystery: This discovery could offer a solution to one of Mars' biggest puzzles – the rapid disappearance of methane. Scientists occasionally detect bursts of methane (a potential byproduct of biological activity), but it disappears faster than standard atmospheric models would predict. Electrical activity and the resulting oxidants could be the mechanism that rapidly breaks down methane, thereby hiding potential biological signatures.

Paschen's law and the Martian paradox

To understand why sparks on Mars behave differently than on Earth, we must refer to Paschen's law, a principle of physics that describes the voltage required for an electric arc to form between two electrodes in a gas. On Earth, air is dense and acts as a good insulator, so a very high voltage is needed to create lightning.

On Mars, atmospheric pressure averages about 6-7 millibars, which is less than 1% of Earth's pressure at sea level. In such low-pressure conditions, gas molecules are sparser, allowing electrons to accelerate to higher energies before colliding with a gas molecule. Paradoxically, this means that in the thin atmosphere of Mars, it is easier to create a spark than on Earth (up to a certain vacuum limit). Perseverance confirmed that conditions inside the vortex perfectly correspond to the "sweet spot" of the Paschen curve for carbon dioxide, the dominant gas on Mars.

Impact on future human and robotic missions

The confirmation of electrostatic discharges has direct engineering consequences for future planning. Although robotic missions on Mars have operated for decades without catastrophic failures caused by static electricity, this can be attributed to robust design and careful grounding of spacecraft. NASA and other agencies have always built in safety margins, assuming the environment is electrically active.

However, the arrival of humans on Mars brings new risks. Future astronauts walking on the surface of the Red Planet will wear suits that will inevitably rub against dust, generating a static charge. Understanding the exact intensity and frequency of natural discharges is crucial for:

1. Space suit design: Materials must be resistant to charge accumulation to prevent sparking that could damage suit electronics or, in the worst-case scenario, cause ignition in the oxygen-rich habitat atmosphere upon return to base.


2. Communication systems: Electrical discharges create radio frequency interference (noise). Knowing the spectrum of this interference will allow engineers to design communication equipment that is immune to the "static noise" of Mars.


3. Weather forecasting: Given that electrical fields can influence dust lifting and transport, this data will help in creating more precise models of global dust storms, which pose the greatest threat to solar panels and equipment on the surface.

Mission context and a look into the future

This discovery comes at a time when the Perseverance rover is already deep into its mission of exploring the rim of Jezero Crater. In January 2025, the rover captured new, spectacular visual recordings of multiple dust devils, supplementing audio recordings with visual context. The synergy between visual data (cameras), audio data (microphone), and meteorological data (MEDA instrument) allows for the creation of the most complete picture of Martian weather to date.

The Perseverance rover, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California under NASA, continues to demonstrate the value of an integrated approach to exploration. While its primary mission is collecting rock samples that could contain evidence of ancient microbial life, its role as a mobile meteorological and geophysical station proves equally vital.

The discovery of "Martian lightning" on a small scale is a reminder that Mars, although desolate, is an extremely dynamic world. The processes taking place there – from dust vortices to invisible chemical reactions triggered by sparks – create a complex system that we are only beginning to fully understand. Every "snap" that the SuperCam microphone records is a new piece of data in the mosaic that will one day allow humans to safely walk on the surface of our planetary neighbor.

As scientists continue to analyze data collected over the last few years, one thing is certain: the silence of Mars is illusory, and its invisible processes are louder and more important than we ever imagined.