Uranus’s Magnetosphere Mystery Finally Solved After Decades of Misunderstanding

For years, scientists worldwide have not fully understood Uranus’s magnetosphere. This long-held misunderstanding is due to early data about the planet provided by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986.

However, a recently published study into the data provided by the Voyager 2 spacecraft gives us a clearer picture.

How a Solar Storm Altered Voyager 2’s View of Uranus in 1986

According to the new reports given by Jamie M. Jasinski and his team, Uranus was in an anomalous state before the Voyager 2 spaceship flyby. They also identified the cause of this anomalous state to be a solar storm that led to a spike in the planet’s magnetosphere.

During this solar storm, there was a sharp spike in the density and dynamic pressure of solar wind conditions upstream of Uranus before the flyby.

This rare occurrence briefly led to an intensity of the belts around Uranus, making it seem as though it lacked plasma. The storm compressed its magnetosphere, making the plasma escape from the magnetic field.

As the escaped plasma dissipated, electrons introduced into Uranus’s magnetosphere during the solar storm took its place, thus intensifying the planet’s radiation belts. This influx of electrons caused some of Uranus’s icy moons within the magnetosphere to appear inactive, as they temporarily ceased ion production. Once the solar storm subsided, Uranus’s magnetosphere likely returned to its original structure and state.

NASA’s Next Mission to Uranus Could Uncover More Hidden Secrets

Jamie M. Jasinski’s report claims that “if Voyager 2 had arrived just a few days earlier, it would have observed a completely different magnetosphere at Uranus.”

To better understand Uranus as a planet and further debunk more mysteries of the planet, there should be a second visit to the planet. NASA already has plans to visit Uranus once again, but the launch of this mission might be in 2031 or 2032.