Identifying energy transfer processes from macroscales down to microscales in collisionless plasmas is an indispensable step towards a complete understanding of various space and astrophysical systems. Here we demonstrate with observations that cross-scale wave-ion interactions are a candidate.

NASA's New Horizons data revealed a geologically complex past on Charon. Here, we show cryovolcanic eruptions released enough methane to source Charon's red polar cap. We observe methane and their products on other Kuiper belt objects, so this process could be important across the Kuiper belt.

Lightning superbolts are the most powerful and rare lightning events. Here, we report electromagnetic observations of superbolts from ground and space measurements, showing their extreme power with 10-1000 times more powerful VLF waves transmitted into space than typical strokes.