Origin of oceans and waterworlds Boris Pestoni, Vytenis Šumskas University of Zürich AST 202 The Universe: Contents, Origin, Evolution and Future March 22, 2016
S Contents
S Origin of water on Earth
S How did the oceans form?
S States of matter of water
S Is water a peculiarity of the Earth?
S Extreme worlds: ice planets and ocean planets Water on Earth
S ~71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Water on Earth
S Only 0,02% - 0,06% of our planet’s total mass is water.
S Nonetheless, Earth is called “The blue planet”. Oceans on Earth
S The age of Earth’s oceans is estimated to be nearly the same as the age of Earth: 4 - 4,4 billion years. Oceans on Earth
S The planet cooled.
S It became covered in gas. Oceans on Earth
S The longest rain in the history of Earth.
S Eventually water gathered in the deepest parts of surface. Other sources of water
S ≥50% of Earth’s water came from outer space. Water in asteroids
S How do we even know it? States of matter of water Water in the universe
Until now we have found water in the following objects / regions: Out of Proto_ Rings the planetary disk Asteroid Comets of Mars Moon Earth Milky of the Milky belt Saturn Way Way
Water of ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ crystallization Water ice ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Liquid water ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Steam ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Supercritical ✓ water Overview of the Solar System
Imbalance of water on planets
S The reason that there is clearly more liquid water on the Earth than on the other rocky planets of the Solar System is, until now, not completely understood. Extreme worlds: ice planets and ocean planets
Ice planets Ocean planets
S Hypotetical exoplanet with an icy S Icy planets can move to orbits where their surface of volatiles such as water, ice melts into liquid form, turning them ammonia, and methane; into ocean planets;
S Although we know many icy S Hypothetical exoplanet with the surface objects there are no known ice completely covered with water; planets; S Until now the most likely ocean planet is S Best candidate: MOA-2007- BLG-192 Lb. Gliese 1214 b (GJ 1214 b).
Thanks for your attention.
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