Uranus is facing 'traffic jams' in the cosmic world. Here's why

The particles which are flying around planet Uranus are facing "traffic jams". Now, scientists have found the reason behind this weird scenario in the cosmic world.

The weak radiation belts of the ice giant may have led to its lopsided and curiously tilted magnetic field which in turn has been causing the jams.

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The mystery of these "traffic jams" datesback to the visit of Voyager 2 to Uranus in January 1986; long before the probe left oursolar system in 2018.

The spacecraft had discovered that the magnetic field of the Uranus is asymmetric and is tilted roughly at 60°, away from the planet's spin axis.

Voyager 2 also discovered the radiation belts of Uranus, which were filled with particles trapped by this magnetic field, are nearly 100 times weaker than expected.

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The latest study, which is based on the simulations made using Voyager 2 data, says that ice giants these two strange aspects are related.

"It has a magnetic field like no other in the solar system. Most planets have strong intrinsicmagnetic fields, like Earth,JupiterandSaturn. They have a very 'traditional' magnetic field shape, which is known as a dipole," said lead author Matthew Acevski, while speaking to Space.com.

"This is the same magnetic field shape as you would expect from your everyday bar magnet. At Uranus, this is not the case; Uranus' field is highly asymmetric — and it becomes increasingly so closer to the planet’s surface," he added.

Magnetic asymmetry of Uranus causing commotion?

Acevski said that in the research it has been highlighted how the magnetic asymmetry of Uranus wraps the structure of the planet'sprotonradiation belts, especially close to the the region passed by Voyager 2.

"My hypothesis was that the magnetic asymmetry was warping the proton radiation belts, forming regions around the planet where the radiation belts were more compressed," Acevski said,"and, thus, with stronger intensity; other regions where they were more spread out, leading to weaker intensity.

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He added, "If Voyager 2 flew through a region where the radiation belts were more spread out, that could explain its observations of weaker-than-expected proton radiation belts."

Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar systemand is odd among the other worlds present in our planetary system.

It appears to rotate like a cosmic ball which is tilted in one direction at a 97-degree angle from its orbit's plane.

(With inputs from agencies)