NASA confirms existence of planet-wide ambipolar electric field

NASA's Endurance mission has confirmed the existence of the ambipolar electric field, a weak, planet-wide electric field fundamental to Earth, first hypothesized over 60 years ago. This field, measured at 0.55 volts, drives the polar wind, facilitating atmospheric escape at Earth's poles. The findings, published in Nature, reveal the ambipolar field's role in shaping the ionosphere and may inform studies of other planetary atmospheres.