Tuesday, September 23, 2025

What is a Water World?

I would call earth a water planet simply because the surface of earth is 71% water or almost 3/4 

 water at least at the surface. So, it isn't just the oceans it is also the rivers, lakes and streams I'm thinking too. 71% is a lot of earth to be covered by water.

One way to look at all this is if it was warm enough all water would be in the sky through evaporation. Boy that might be quite a rain or snow storm if we were alive to see this.

Even now the evaporation from the oceans and all water  everywhere is growing immensely now every year because of Global Warming and Global Climate changes. So, it makes more sense why there is so much more flooding now all over the earth too as this rain or snow comes down almost anywhere on earth.

 begin quotes:

A "water world" is a type of planet, or exoplanet, theorized to be largely composed of water, with global oceans that may be hundreds of times deeper than Earth's, such as the planets Kepler-138c and Kepler-138d. These planets are distinct from rocky worlds like Earth and gas giants like Jupiter. Some water worlds, known as Hycean worlds, also feature hydrogen-rich atmospheres and are considered promising candidates for potentially hosting life.  
This video explains how astronomers found evidence for water worlds:
What is a Water World?
  • Water-Rich Composition:
    Water worlds are planets where water makes up a significant portion of the entire planet's mass. 

  • No Land Surface:
    Unlike Earth, these planets may not have landmasses, with their entire surface potentially covered by a deep, global ocean. 

  • Different from Earth:
    While Earth has surface water, it accounts for only a small fraction of the planet's mass; water worlds are far more water-heavy. 

    Examples of Water Worlds
    • Kepler-138c and Kepler-138d:
      These are the first specific examples of exoplanets with good evidence suggesting they are water worlds, located in a system 218 light-years away. 

  • A planet slightly larger and more massive than Earth, its lower density suggests a thick water layer. 

  • Another "super-Earth" candidate, thought to be a waterworld with a thick, steamy atmosphere. 

    Hycean Worlds 
    • A Specific Type:
      These are a theorized class of water worlds that have ocean-covered surfaces and hydrogen-rich atmospheres.
    • Potential for Life:
      Hycean worlds are considered promising places to search for life because their conditions might be conducive to microbial life.
    • Studied by JWST:
      The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is used to study the atmospheres of these planets, with the goal of finding signs of life.
    How Water Worlds Are Studied
    • Inferring Composition:
      Scientists don't directly detect water on these distant planets. Instead, they compare a planet's size and mass to different models to infer its overall composition. 

  • Atmospheric Analysis:
    Using telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers can analyze the light that passes through a planet's atmosphere to determine its makeup and temperature. 

    This video discusses the possibility of water worlds and their potential for life:
    • Ocean world - Wikipedia
      Outside the Solar System, exoplanets that have been described as candidate ocean worlds include GJ 1214 b, Kepler-22b, Kepler-62e,
      Wikipedia
    • Show all
    Dive deeper in AI Mode
  • Two Exoplanets May Be Mostly Water, NASA's Hubble and Spitzer ...
    Dec 15, 2022 — A team led by researchers at the University of Montreal has found evidence that two exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf st...
    NASA Science
  • Hubble Discovers Waterworld Planet - NASA Science
    Feb 21, 2012 — NASA Hubble Mission Team ... GJ1214b, shown in this artist's view, is a super-Earth orbiting a red dwarf star 40light-
    NASA Science (.gov)
  • No comments: