Origins
Some of the most likely contributory factors to the origin of the Earth's oceans are as follows:
- The cooling down of the primordial world to the point where the outgassed volatile components were held in an atmosphere of sufficient pressure for the stabilization and retention of liquid water.
- Comets, trans-Neptunian objects or water-rich meteorites (protoplanets) from the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt colliding with the Earth may have brought water to the world's oceans. Measurements of the ratio of the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and protium point to asteroids, since similar percentage impurities in carbon-rich chondrites were found in oceanic water, whereas previous measurement of the isotopes' concentrations in comets and trans-Neptunian objects correspond only slightly to water on the Earth.
- Biochemically through mineralization and photosynthesis.
- Gradual leakage of water stored in hydrous minerals of the Earth's rocks.
- Photolysis: radiation can break down chemical bonds on the surface.
Read more about this topic: Origin Of Water On Earth
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