Researchers Finds Hot Atomic Hydrogen in Earth’s Thermosphere

Researchers Finds Hot Atomic Hydrogen in Earth’s Thermosphere  Researchers from University of Illinois, US have discovered the presence of hot atomic hydrogen (H) atoms in the second-highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere known as thermosphere. Researchers used the data from NASAs TIMED (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) satellite to discover

the hot atomic H atom.The result was published in the journal Nature Communications .Theoretically hot hydrogen atoms are considered to exist at very high altitudes (more than thousands of miles). But the new study shows that they exist at around 155 miles in the thermosphere.Hydrogen atoms are very light. Due to this property they can easily overcome a planet’s gravitational force and hence escape into the outer space. The loss of hydrogen will have an impact on long-term atmospheric evolution. As per studies Mars planet had lost its majority of the water due to escape of hydrogen atoms.