Aurora on Mars
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Auroras have been found on Mars but they are very different from the high-altitude auroras found on Earth. They occur in the upper atmosphere of Mars and are diffuse and often localized.[1] Ever since their discovery, it has been an area of active research. Mars lacks a substantial magnetic field (see: magnetic field of Mars) due to its small size and faster cooling, instead its crustal magnetic field (parts of the Martian magnetic field trapped in the planets crust) is distributed throughout the planet. Its interaction with the surrounding plasma environment (specifically with electrons and protons) leads to a number of complex processes. This results in several types of auroras that are uncommon here on Earth.[2] Auroras found on Mars occur in the upper atmosphere during the night and are very diffuse. They are mostly found having ultraviolet emissions although some visible emission auroras do occur.[3][4]
