Life on Earth is integrally connected to the color of the oceans of our planet. The effects of water chemicals and life play an important role in determining the color of water. Now scientists have claimed that the Earth’s oceans can be purple or red in future.
The water on our planet currently appears blue, but sometimes it was green and possibly its color may change again. Most of the Earth has oceans. Because of this, the earth appears light blue when viewed from space. Japanese researchers have given a theory that these huge water bodies were ever green.
Sometimes our oceans looked green
According to the report of the Daily Star, his study published in Nature observed the water around Japan’s volcanic island Evo Zima, which appears green due to a type of oxidized iron.
This was the reason
These algae are unique, because they not only have specific chlorophyll pigments, but also have a second pigment called phycorithroobilin (PEB). Scientists found in their research that PEB-containing genetically modified modern blue-green algae grows better in green water.
Prior to photosynthesis and origin of oxygen, the iconiced iron in the Earth’s oceans (stored iron without the presence of oxygen) was present. Oxygen began to form with the onset of photosynthesis process in Archian Eon (4 to 2.5 billion years ago), resulting in iron -water oxidized in seawater.
Sea color was green at the time of origin of oxygen
The study’s computer simulation also showed that oxygen emitted by early photosynthesis created such a high concentration of oxidized iron particles that the color of the surface water became green. Once when the iron reserves of the ocean were completely oxidized, the Earth’s oceans and the atmosphere started filling the uncle oxygen (O2).
Early signs of the origin of life
As a result, an important conclusion from research came out that the light green planets seen from a distance are the major contenders to host early forms of photosynthetic life. The recently published Japanese paper states that the color of our oceans is associated with the influence of chemistry and life of water.
Why water will become red or purple
Theoretically, the existence of purple oceans on Earth is possible. If the level of sulfur increases extremely, which is probably due to an increase in volcanic activity and a decrease in atmospheric oxygen – an environment that promotes the growth of purple sulfur bacteria.
Due to this, the color of the sea can be red
Apart from this, adopting red color of oceans is not beyond the possibility. The breakdown of terrestrial rocks in acute tropical climate can lead to abundance of red-oxidized iron particles, which can flow into the sea with rivers or wind.
It can also arise from the widespread dominance of a particular type of algae to generate red tide. These red algae are commonly found in areas with high concentrations of fertilizers such as nitrogen and are often seen near the sewer systems near the seas.