Astronomy current events question: Mars' dust storms causing escaping atmosphere?

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2018
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Guy Webster, Laurie Cantillo and Dwayne Brown, "Dust Storms Linked to Gas Escape from Mars Atmosphere" (January 23, 2018)
nasa.gov/feature/jpl/dust-storms-linked-to-gas-escape-from-mars-atmosphere

Mars' __________ has been proposed as how water vapor is carried up into the outer atmosphere to escape.
(A) moons, Phobos and Deimos.
(B) supervolcanoes.
(C) early life forms.
(D) perchlorate chemistry.
(E) global dust storms.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 32 students