Climate of the Past
Climate of the Past
CP
Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-483-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-483-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
Research article
 | 
04 Mar 2026
Research article |  | 04 Mar 2026

The oxygen valve on hydrogen escape since the great oxidation event

Gregory Cooke, Dan Marsh, Catherine Walsh, Felix Sainsbury-Martinez, and Marrick Braam

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Short summary
During the Archean eon (4–2.4 Gyr ago), Earth's atmosphere lacked oxygen (O2) but contained nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. As cyanobacteria evolved, they produced O2, while hydrogen (H) escaped, making Earth more oxidized. Around 2.4 billion years ago, O2 levels rose, limiting hydrogen loss. Using 3D computer simulations, we found that atmospheric O2 concentrations affect the upward diffusion of water vapor (H2O). We therefore quantify the rate of hydrogen escape as O2 changes.
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