Significant discovery on Venus; atomic oxygen found
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has discovered atomic oxygen in the atmosphere on the sunlit side of Venus, above its toxic clouds.
AA
According to an ABC News report, scientists working at the DLR have determined in their research that, in addition to the oxygen previously detected on the night side of the Venusian atmosphere, atomic oxygen—a reactive oxygen species—is also present on the side of the planet facing the Sun.
It was noted that Venus shares similar characteristics with Earth, has a mass close to that of Earth, and is under an intense greenhouse effect due to its cloud-covered atmosphere, which consists mostly of carbon dioxide.
It was stated that beneath the air, which appears yellow due to sulfuric acid, conditions on the surface of Venus are much harsher, with temperatures rising to levels capable of melting lead; however, some layers of the clouds in the sky are temperate, with an average temperature in these regions of around 30 degrees.
ATMOSPHERE RESEARCHED TO LEARN ABOUT VENUS
Scientists are conducting observations and research on the atmosphere of Venus to determine the planet's past and the harsh conditions it possesses.
DLR scientists led by Prof. Dr. Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers, a faculty member at Humboldt University of Berlin, have for the first time detected atomic oxygen, a reactive oxygen species, in the atmosphere on the sunlit side of Venus.
Atomic oxygen, which is present in high concentrations in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere, can react very quickly—unlike the molecular oxygen we breathe—and is a crucial component for energy balance and the cooling of the planet. This type of oxygen is released when light breaks down molecules such as ozone or nitrogen dioxide.
The researchers emphasized that the discovered atomic oxygen indicates that Venus may have once been humid, warm, and habitable.
In 2021, scientists led by Hübers discovered the presence of atomic oxygen in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere using the now-decommissioned Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), which consisted of a 2.5-meter diameter telescope mounted on a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft.
Turning their research toward Venus, Hübers and his team detected atomic oxygen in 17 regions of the atmosphere during their flights, including 9 in the planet's night section, 7 in the day section, and 1 in the transition region.
The researchers determined how the atmosphere, particularly at 90 to 120 kilometers above the Venusian surface where atomic oxygen is most abundant, moves and changes.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Stephen Kane, a faculty member at the University of California, Riverside, who was not involved in the study, stated: "One of the interesting features of Venus that we are still trying to solve is whether there was liquid water on its surface. If there had been water on Venus, it would have evaporated as it began to heat up and transitioned into the runaway greenhouse state it is in today. This oxygen (detected in the study) could be a significant component of the previously existing surface water that remains in the atmosphere now."
Noting that the discovery is beginning to form a picture of Venus that is completely different from what is seen today, Kane pointed out that Venus could have been a habitable planet billions of years ago.
The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.