Uranus Radiation Mystery Solved by Voyager 2 Data

Decades after Voyager 2's historic 1986 flyby, scientists are revisiting its data on Uranus, uncovering potential misinterpretations regarding the planet's radiation levels. A recent study suggests that the "off the charts" electron radiation belts observed were likely not indicative of Uranus's natural state, but rather the result of a solar wind storm.

Astronomers now believe Voyager 2 happened to visit Uranus on a day of unusual solar activity, which warped the planet's magnetosphere. This led to a skewed perception of Uranus's typical radiation environment. The findings draw parallels with Earth's current experiences with solar storms impacting its own radiation belts and magnetic fields.

The re-analysis, inspired by previous work, utilized modern understanding and comparative data from a 2019 Earth event. While this new perspective clarifies the 39-year-old mystery, it also underscores the limitations of relying on a single spacecraft encounter and highlights the pressing need for future direct observations of Uranus.