Regional Dust Storms Drive Hidden Water Loss on Mars
New research links an intense regional dust storm in Mars' northern summer to a surge of water vapor into the upper atmosphere, boosting hydrogen escape and contributing to the planet’s long-term water loss. Observations from the 2022-2023 Martian year show water vapor up to ten times typical levels and hydrogen at the exobase about 2.5 times higher than in previous years, indicating that short, localized events can influence Mars’ climate evolution as much as global storms, challenging earlier emphasis on southern summer dynamics.
