Moon News  
MOON DAILY
Collision that formed the moon also brought Earth water
by Brooks Hays
Washington (UPI) May 21, 2019

Without the moon and water, life on Earth wouldn't be possible. New research out of Germany suggests both were delivered by Theia, which collided with Earth 4.4 billion years ago.

Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of Earth's water. Earth was formed in the inner solar system, and the inner solar system was dry. The solar system's wet materials were relegated to the outer solar system.

Water-rich carbonaceous meteorites, for example, hail from the outer solar system. Non-carbonaceous meteorites from the inner solar system are without water.

At some point during Earth's early history, carbonaceous materials delivered large quantities of water. But the details and timing of this delivery process aren't well understood.

"We have used molybdenum isotopes to answer this question," Gerrit Budde, a researcher at the University of Münster's Institute of Planetology, said in a news release. "The molybdenum isotopes allow us to clearly distinguish carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous material, and as such represent a 'genetic fingerprint' of material from the outer and inner solar system."

Analysis performed by Budde and his colleagues showed some of Earth's molybdenum hails from the outer solar system. Because molybdenum is an iron-loving element, most of it is located in Earth's core -- but not all of it.

"The molybdenum which is accessible today in the Earth's mantle, therefore, originates from the late stages of Earth's formation, while the molybdenum from earlier phases is entirely in the core," said planetary scientist Christoph Burkhardt.

The new research, published this week in the journal Nature, showed large quantities of water arrived after Earth's building blocks had coalesced. The study's authors suggest much of this water-rich material was delivered by Theia, the Mars-sized planet that scientists theorize struck Earth head on around 4.4 billion years ago, vaporizing much of Earth and triggering the formation of the moon.

"Our data demonstrate that Earth accreted carbonaceous bodies late in its growth history, probably through the Moon-forming impact," scientists wrote. "This late delivery of carbonaceous material probably resulted from an orbital instability of the gas giant planets, and it demonstrates that Earth's habitability is strongly tied to the very late stages of its growth."


Related Links
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


MOON DAILY
China's Chang'E 4 Mission Discovers New "Secrets" from Far Side of the Moon
Beijing, China (SPX) May 17, 2019
A lunar lander named for the Chinese goddess of the Moon may have lessened the mystery of the far side of the Moon. The fourth probe of Chang'E (CE-4) was the first mission to land on the far side of the Moon, and it has collected new evidence from the largest crater in the solar system, clarifying how the Moon may have evolved. A theory emerged in the 1970s that in the Moon's infancy, an ocean made of magma covered its surface. As the molten ocean began to calm and cool, lighter minerals floated ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

MOON DAILY
Exploring life on Mars in the Gobi desert

Mars 2020 Is Coming Together

Is NASA looking at the wrong rocks for clues to Martian life?

After the Moon, people on Mars by 2033...or 2060

MOON DAILY
Researchers find ice feature on Saturn's giant moon

Giant planets and big data: What deep learning reveals about Saturn's storms

Deep learning takes Saturn by storm

NASA's Cassini Reveals Surprises with Titan's Lakes

MOON DAILY
Gas insulation could be protecting an ocean inside Pluto

NASA's New Horizons Team Publishes First Kuiper Belt Flyby Science Results

Brazilian scientists investigate dwarf planet's ring

Next-Generation NASA Instrument Advanced to Study the Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune

MOON DAILY
NASA Testing Method to Grow Bigger Plants in Space

Oscar Avalos Dreams in Titanium

NASA Selects Studies for Future Space Communications and Services

House committee limits Space Development Agency funding, asks for detailed plans

MOON DAILY
Monitoring the lifecycle of tiny catalyst nanoparticles

Fast and selective optical heating for functional nanomagnetic metamaterials

2D gold quantum dots are atomically tunable with nanotubes

Harnessing microorganisms for smart microsystems

MOON DAILY
ESA signs contracts for enhanced Ariane 6 composite upper stage technologies

Rocket Lab to launch rideshare mission for Spaceflight

SpaceX's Dragon Cargo capsule docks with Space Station

SpinLaunch Breaks Ground for New Test Facility at Spaceport America

MOON DAILY
China develops new-generation rockets for upcoming missions

China's satellite navigation industry sees rapid development

China's Yuanwang-7 departs for space monitoring missions

China's tracking ship Yuanwang-2 starts new mission after retirement

MOON DAILY
Louisiana-based Geocent's Advanced Aerospace Materials to Fly Aboard International Space Station

Reprogrammable satellite takes shape

BAE Systems Radiation-hardened Electronics in Orbit a Total of 10,000 Years

Elkem's Silgrain Powering Space Exploration and Research









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.