A new planet-wide electric field that is as fundamental to Earth as gravity has been discovered in a major scientific breakthrough.
The ambipolar electric field, which begins 150 miles above the planet, has been described as a “great invisible force” that lifts up the sky and is responsible for the polar winds. Until now, the field had only been theorised, but a Nasa team has sent a rocket into the field and measured it for the first time.
It means Earth now has three energy fields: gravity; the magnetic field, which shields the planet from cosmic radiation; and the ambipolar electric field.
Dr Glyn Collinson, the principal investigator of the Endurance Mission at Nasa Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, said: “Whenever spacecraft have flown over the poles of the Earth they have felt this supersonic wind of particles called the polar wind. There must be some invisible force lurking there responsible for this outflow, but we’ve never been able to measure it because we didn’t have the technology. This field is so fundamental to understanding the way the planet works. It’s been here since the beginning alongside gravity and magnetism. It’s been wafting particles to space and stretching up the sky since the beginning.”
“Despite being weak it’s incredibly important, it counters gravity and it lifts the skies up. It’s like this conveyor belt, lifting the atmosphere up into space,” added Dr Collinson.
Dr Collinson added: “What makes Earth the special place that we all call home? One of the reasons may be to do with the energy fields that our planet creates. “One of them is gravity. It’s important for life because it’s holding our atmosphere up. The second field is the magnetic field that’s protecting our planet from the stream of particles that comes from the sun. Our rocket has discovered, and finally measured, number three. Now that we’ve finally measured it, we can begin learning how it’s shaped our planet as well as others over time.”