Was the atmosphere too thin, and couldn't keep it from evaporation. Someone said it was due to Earth's magnetic field...so, which way? Why?
2006-11-07 08:04:30 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
On A&E and according to scientists, Mars lost its water when it lost its atmospehere and magnetic field. Yes Mars, bazillion of years ago had an atomosphere and magnetic field like earth, but lost it somehow and slowly making it the way it is today.
and no the earth wasnt responsible
2006-11-07 08:13:16 · answer #1 · answered by Kamui VII 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It didn't lose it all (and there may not have been that much to start with -- compared, to Earth, anyway). There is some ice at the poles, and perhaps elsewhere, and there is some water trapped in mineral as hydrates. "Evaporation" isn't really loss, it just means that water on the surface becomes water vapor in the atmosphere -- but from there it could get dissociated into hydrogen and oxygen (by the sun's ultraviolet light) and then the hydrogen would be easily lost into space, but the oxygen -- not so easily. However, since there's very little oxygen in the Martian atmosphere, any oxygen that came from water vapor must have combined with the surface materials.
2006-11-07 20:10:27 · answer #2 · answered by Grouchy Dude 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nobody knows yet. It may not even be lost. There is recent evidence of vast ice sheets just below the surface. There may be oceans of ice covered by just a few meters of dust!
2006-11-07 08:22:39 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mars still has water it's just frozen.
2006-11-07 08:17:45 · answer #4 · answered by sprydle 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
did you know that ice caps are water, just very cold water. so in the end, Mars has lost no water, it just got really cold.
2006-11-07 08:13:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it lost it to me in a bet, and its still sulking about it
2006-11-07 08:34:27 · answer #6 · answered by of_the_moon 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋