Mars dust storms eject water into space, says a NASA study

Scientists have long believed that it is due to a slow and constant process that breaks down water molecules in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

Their studies revealed a seasonal pattern: the upper atmosphere contained most of the water when Mars was closest to the sun or when there was a large sandstorm.

The atmospheric warming caused by those events allows water to float higher in the air of the Red Planet.

“This was really a slap in the face,” said Shane Stone, researchers at the University of Arizona.

“The global dust storm stands out in the data like nothing else.”

During global dust storms, 20 times more water can be transported into the upper atmosphere.

The researchers calculated that over the past billion years, Mars’ upper atmosphere may have leaked enough water to cover the planet’s surface in a 61cm deep liquid layer.

“Mars must have lost the equivalent of a global ocean tens to hundreds of meters deep in its entire history,” said Dr. Stone.