NASA researches at UCLA predicted how this field would fluctuate if an electrically conductive salt-water ocean was present. Measurements from Galileo on a Europa pass in January matched prediction. If true, this would be the only world besides Earth known to have a liquid salt-water ocean. This probe will measure fluctuations in gravity field and surface altitude caused by the hidden ocean's tides. The atmosphere is the key.
Most meteors striking Earth burn up high in the atmosphere due to entry heating.
Martian meteors are more likely to explode near the ground after passing through an atmosphere 100 times thinner than ours. Shock waves and vortices from a blast so near the ground give rise to gigantic dust storms on the planet. The Russian study also predicts that the dry and dusty air of Mars causes an electrically charged path to form in the meteor's wake. This can create a huge flash visible to Earth based telescopes. These results were presented at the recent meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Chicago.