SPACE — Theories about the origin of water on Earth are still being debated. However, research on the early solar system shows that water is older than the Sun. But how old is water and how did it come to be on Earth?
Reporting from Discover Magazine, The Sun was in the Solar System earlier than other objects such as planets. The current age of the sun is estimated to be 4.6 billion years.
But it turns out that most of the water we use for drinking on this earth is even older. Scientists believe that up to half of the water on Earth today was inherited from an abundant supply of interstellar ice when the sun was formed.
Where does water come from on Earth?
The origin of water on Earth has long been the subject of scientific investigation and debate. Initially scientists believed in the asteroid theory. However, recent research suggests that water on Earth may have come from the solar nebula.
Asteroid Theory
Many scientists believe that asteroids, which carry water in their minerals, brought water to Earth. This theory is supported by the idea that the high water content of asteroids is more in line with the water ratio on Earth today.
Comet theory
At one time, comets were also thought to be the source of water on earth. This theory emerged when the European Giotto spacecraft observed Halley’s Comet and it turned out that the comet contained high levels of heavy water. Heavy water is water that is formed not by hydrogen atoms but by deuterium.
However, further investigations showed that the water ratio in most comets is too high compared to that on Earth. As a result, doubts have arisen regarding the role of comets in bringing water to our planet.
Solar Nebula Theory
Astronomer Karen Meech and her colleagues focused on researching water in the Earth’s mantle. They studied samples from places like Baffin Island, where the Earth’s deep layers are accessible. These studies involve analyzing the deuterium-hydrogen (D/H) ratio in samples to understand the origin of Earth’s water.
The sample showed a water content that weighed around 25 percent less than ordinary water. This suggests that carbonaceous chondrites (a type of meteorite) may not be the primary source of water on Earth. These findings suggest that water on Earth may have come from the solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust from which the Sun and planets formed.
How Old is Water?
The age of water on Earth is about 4.5 billion years, as old as the Solar System itself. When the Solar System was formed, this water went through a cycle of turning into gas and then back into ice, eventually becoming part of planets like Earth, as well as asteroids and comets.
There are several types of water, one of which is heavy water. Heavy water is found on Earth as well as in space objects, telling us that most of our water comes from early extraterrestrial processes.
Is the Water on Earth Older than the Sun?
Yes, water on Earth is older than the Sun. In 2014, researchers determined the age of water in our solar system by focusing on the ratio of hydrogen to deuterium. Deuterium is called “heavy hydrogen” because it has additional neutrons.
Interstellar ice has a very high deuterium to hydrogen ratio because it forms at very cold temperatures. Scientists already know this by looking at the composition of comets and asteroids.
But what’s even more confusing is that deuterium levels in water in the solar system have also been increasing since the sun was formed? To answer whether the sun could produce deuterium isotopes, the researchers built a computer model that basically turned back time to the beginning of the solar system and assumed there was no deuterium present. inherited.
2023-11-21 01:56:00
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