Venus, Earth’s sister planet, was once thought to be very similar to our own planet, with the potential for liquid water to exist on its surface. However, Venus now has 100,000 times less water than Earth, raising questions about what happened to all the water. A new study published in Nature suggests that water is escaping from Venus into space at twice the rate previously thought, with hydrogen atoms in the planet’s atmosphere playing a key role in this process.
The study’s findings are significant for planetary scientists in their search for water and potential life in the universe. Understanding the conditions that support liquid water is crucial, as evidenced by the dehydrated state of Venus today. The fate of Venus and Earth diverged about a billion years ago, with Venus experiencing a potent greenhouse effect that evaporated its water as temperatures soared. The presence of a molecule called HCO+ in Venus’ atmosphere may explain why the planet is so dry.
Recent discoveries on Venus, such as the detection of phosphine gas, which is a potential sign of life, have sparked renewed interest in the planet. While Venus has been largely ignored compared to Mars, three new missions are planned to study the planet in more detail. These missions include NASA’s DAVINCI mission, which will land a probe on Venus’ surface, NASA’s VERITAS mission, which will map the planet’s volcanoes from orbit, and the European Space Agency’s EnVision mission, which will analyze the planet’s interior from orbit.
Despite these upcoming missions, none of them will be able to confirm the presence of HCO+ in Venus’ atmosphere. Detecting this molecule is crucial for understanding the water loss on the planet. However, the researchers remain hopeful that future missions may be able to detect HCO+ and shed more light on Venus’ water loss. With a growing interest in Venus and advancements in technology, there is potential for new discoveries about the planet’s atmosphere, evolution, and habitability in the coming years.
