How much hydrogen might be in Earth's core?

Researchers estimate that Earth's core could hold a quantity of hydrogen equivalent to nine times the volume of all the planet's oceans.

What percentage of Earth's core weight could be hydrogen?

Hydrogen may make up roughly 0.36% to 0.7% of Earth's total core weight, according to the new estimates.

When did Earth acquire most of its water?

The findings suggest Earth acquired most of its water during its initial formation, rather than later through comet impacts.

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Earth's Core Holds Massive Hydrogen Reservoir

10 Feb

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Summary

Earth's core may contain nine times the amount of hydrogen found in all oceans.
Hydrogen comprises an estimated 0.36% to 0.7% of the core's total weight.
This suggests Earth acquired most water during its formation, not from comets.

Earth's Core Holds Massive Hydrogen Reservoir

A recent study suggests Earth's core might harbor an immense reservoir of hydrogen, potentially equivalent to nine times the volume of all the planet's oceans. This significant finding indicates that hydrogen could constitute between 0.36% and 0.7% of the core's total weight. Researchers propose that Earth acquired the majority of its water, the primary source of hydrogen, during its initial formation phases rather than through later comet impacts.

This discovery implies that the core, a swirling mass of iron and nickel beneath the mantle and crust, held the most water in the planet's early history. Scientists utilized atom probe tomography, a technique that analyzes samples at the atomic scale, to replicate core temperatures and pressures. By observing how hydrogen interacted with silicon and oxygen in iron nanostructures, they could estimate the core's hydrogen content.