Degassing of CO₂ triggers large-scale loss of helium from magma oceans

The moon-forming impact caused widespread melting and vaporization of the proto-Earth, leading to a global magma ocean. This study uses first-principles molecular dynamics calculations to simulate the degassing of carbon and helium from this magma ocean. Results show that volatile loss is significantly impacted by pressure, temperature, and melt composition, with concurrent presence of carbon and helium leading to pronounced loss. This suggests the early Earth atmosphere was carbon-rich, helium-rich, thicker, and hotter than previously thought, impacting Earth's composition and thermal evolution. The findings have implications for understanding similar processes on other planets.

Anne H. Davis, Razvan Caracas