WHEN DID PRIMORDIAL OCEANS FORM?
Probably about 4 billion years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth
yesterday
To determine when the primordial oceans formed, we need to rely on scientific research and evidence from various fields such as geology, paleontology, and geochemistry. The formation of the primordial oceans dates back to approximately 4 billion years ago during a period known as the Hadean Eon.
During the Hadean Eon, the Earth was extremely hot and undergoing intense volcanic activity. The early Earth's crust was still in the process of solidifying, and the planet was continually being bombarded by asteroids and comets. As the Earth cooled, water vapor that was released from volcanic eruptions and trapped within the atmosphere began to condense and form liquid water.
The exact timeline of when the primordial oceans formed is difficult to pinpoint precisely, as the early geological record is sparse and heavily altered over billions of years of Earth's geological history. However, scientists have gathered valuable information from the study of ancient rocks, particularly those containing mineralizations and chemical signatures that indicate past interactions with water.
One key piece of evidence comes from the analysis of zircon crystals found within ancient rocks. Zircons are exceptionally resilient and can preserve traces of their formation environment. By studying the oxygen isotopes trapped within these zircons, scientists have identified that liquid water was present on the Earth's surface around 4.4 billion years ago.
Based on these findings, it is generally believed that the primordial oceans began to form sometime around 4 billion years ago, even though the process might have been gradual and complex. However, ongoing scientific research continues to refine our understanding of early Earth's history, providing new insights into the formation of the primordial oceans.