= Carbon partition and atmospheric water abundance
In hot hydrogen-rich <thermochemical equilibrium>, much carbon can be bound in <carbon monoxide>, consuming oxygen that is unavailable for <water>. At a C/O ratio near or above one, water can be strongly depleted. Cooler <methane>-dominated chemistry can release more oxygen for water at the same elemental inventory. Pressure, quenching, dissociation and <atmospheric photochemistry> can modify this temperature-dependent partition.
Back to article page
