Washington, US

Venus is often referred to as Earth's "sister planet" because of their similar size and composition, but they have some differences. Earth has abundant liquid water on its surface while Venus does not. This is because Venus is leaking. 

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The surface temperature on Venus is extremely high, reaching about 900 degrees Fahrenheit (about 475 degrees Celsius). It has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and other gases which makes it impossible for liquid water to exist.

However, there is evidence to suggest that Venus may have had liquid water in its distant past.

New findings from the 2021 BepiColombo mission, a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) with the goal of exploring the planet Mercury, revealed that gases, including oxygen, are escaping from Venus's upper atmosphere. Published in the Nature Astronomy journal, the study underscored the importance of understanding Venus's atmospheric evolution.

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Venus lacks a strong magnetic field like Earth's. Its upper atmosphere is exposed to the solar wind and a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun. 

This interaction between the solar wind and the upper atmosphere of Venus can lead to the escape of ions, particularly hydrogen and oxygen ions, into space. These ions are stripped away from the planet's atmosphere by the solar wind.

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This process, known as atmospheric escape, contributes to the gradual loss of atmosphere from Venus over time.

Understanding the mechanisms of atmospheric escape on Venus can provide understanding into its evolution and the conditions that may have led to its current state. 

Fly-by of Venus 

During its fly-by of Venus, BepiColombo data, collected over 90 minutes, provided these insights into the chemical and physical mechanisms at play in Venus's magnetosheath. Venus lacks an intrinsic magnetic field but possesses an induced magnetosphere due to solar winds, shaping its magnetosheath.

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The study, utilising BepiColombo's Mass Spectrum Analyser and Mercury Ion Analyser, emphasises Venus's divergent evolution from Earth, leading to its extremely dry atmosphere.

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"Therefore, studying and characterising the present escape of ions from Venus is important for understanding the evolution of its atmosphere, and in particular, the evolution of water on the surface of the planet. Such studies may also provide insights into the general climate and habitability evolution of terrestrial planets and exoplanetary systems," according to the study.

(With inputs from agencies)