Which type of asteroid potentially delivered much of Earth's ocean water?
Carbonaceous chondrites.
The prevailing scientific theory regarding the origin of Earth's vast hydrosphere suggests that the early Earth was initially quite dry. A significant portion of the water now filling Earth’s oceans is believed to have been delivered later through impacts from water-rich bodies orbiting in the early Solar System. Among the candidates for these delivery vehicles are comets and specific classes of asteroids, notably carbonaceous chondrites. Scientists analyze the isotopic ratios of hydrogen within these dark, primitive asteroids. If these ratios chemically match the water isotopes found in Earth’s oceans, it provides a strong chemical fingerprint confirming the impact delivery model for Earth’s water, linking the ancient chemistry of these asteroids to our current terrestrial environment.
