According to the University of Chicago study, what condition accelerated the initial loss of water vapor before the magnetic field fully disappeared?
Answer
An unusually hot early Mars resulting in a massive amount of water vapor in the upper atmosphere
Research suggests a timeline nuance where atmospheric escape started rapidly even before the magnetic field completely vanished. This was attributed to early Mars being unusually hot, which led to a massive volume of water vapor accumulating in the upper atmosphere. This vapor-rich environment presented a significantly larger target for solar stripping mechanisms, thus accelerating the initial loss of water much faster than models predicted based solely on the rate of magnetic field decline.
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