Ancient Water Source

Geophys. Res. Lett. (2023) <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105178" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">10.1029/2023GL105178</a>: “<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn6098?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=alert&utm_campaign=editorsChoice&et_rid=49284587&et_cid=5036672#sec-6" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Earth’s early crustal water source</a>.” Archean [think really archaic] ‘cratons’ are remanants of the very first continents formed on Earth. But forming these first continents would have required the proper chemistry and dynamics, with a water source in the mantle being one of the toughest problems to explain. “Wu et al. hypothesize that a water-rich [subsurface] magma ocean may have overturned after the moon-forming impact, supplying sufficient water to the lithosphere to generate Earth’s earliest continental crust.” This hypothesis may resolve the question of the source of much of our water [later contributions from asteroids], as well as other features of very early crustal growth. So the next time you look up at the Moon, realize that the impact which formed our satellite may also have released huge amounts of water from the deeper mantle of the planet to kick-start our ocean. <a href="https://medium.com/@sandy.george.lawrence/ancient-water-source-57cd29a6c04a">Click Here</a>