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atomfullerene t1_j8bjh12 wrote

Not an asteroid. One possibility (I'm not sure if it's currently in favor) is that asteroids and comets delivered much of Earth's water. We are talking not one or two, but very large numbers of them.

Another possibility is that most of Earth's water was emitted by volcanoes (which do emit water vapor).

And of course, a mix of the two is also possible.

Either route could potentially explain Mars' water.

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Brownhouse71 t1_j8dxvob wrote

Wouldn't volcanoes be emitting water already on Mars? Isn't the question how it would have gotten on/in Mars in the first place to even be emitted by the volcanoes?

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atomfullerene t1_j8e2eli wrote

Hydrogen and oxygen are common elements that were widespread during the formation of the solar system. Mix them together and you get water. Most of the hydrogen was lost off the rocky planets early in the solar system's history, but some of it got bound up in rocks ( along with a lot of oxygen) where it could be later released as water

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