Articles tagged with Earth Core
A study by Okayama University reveals that garnet governs the formation of Earth's 660-km seismic boundary, shaping the mineral transitions that control heat and material circulation. This finding provides a unified explanation for complex seismic observations and supports a homogeneous, pyrolite-like mantle composition.
A team of researchers applied adaptive-bandwidth kernel density estimation to analyze the latest reversal timing dataset, revealing four distinct dips in the new reversal frequency model following the Cretaceous Normal Superchron. This suggests that short-time-interval geomagnetic reversals may be missing from the compiled record.
A new study finds that Antarctica's gravity hole formed as a result of slow rock movements deep under the Earth's surface, which overlapped with major changes in the continent's climate system. The study suggests that future research could reveal how the shifting gravity may have encouraged the growth of ice sheets.
Scientists have discovered that Earth's inner core exists in a superionic state, where light elements flow through a solid iron lattice, dramatically softening it. This discovery redefines our understanding of the planet's deepest interior and offers new perspectives on seismic anisotropy and Earth's magnetic field.
Researchers confirm nickel-rich metallic alloys in diamonds from South Africa's Voorspoed mine, revealing a 'redox-freezing' reaction between oxidized melts and reduced mantle rock. The study provides new insights into mantle dynamics and the formation of kimberlites, ocean island basalts, and volcanic magmas.
Researchers found that carbon helps accelerate freezing in the inner core, while silicon and sulfur slow it down. The new constraint on the core's chemistry suggests that carbon may be more abundant than previously thought.
A team of geophysicists from ETH Zurich and SUSTech, China, used computer models to simulate whether a completely liquid core could generate a stable magnetic field. Their simulations showed that the Earth's magnetic field was generated in the early history of the Earth in a similar way to today.
Researchers discovered that solid rock flows horizontally in the lower edge of the Earth's mantle, accelerating seismic waves. This finding solves the mystery of the D" layer and opens a window into the dynamics of the Earth's deepest interior.
Scientists from the University of Göttingen have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding ruthenium in volcanic rocks on the islands of Hawaii. The finding suggests that material from the Earth's core is leaking into the mantle above, challenging previous assumptions about the planet's internal dynamics.
Two large 'islands' with the size of a continent have been found in the Earth's mantle, showing they are at least half a billion years old. Seismologists discovered these regions by studying the tones and sound volume of seismic waves, finding little damping in the islands, but high damping in nearby cold slab graveyard.
Researchers investigate the effect of oxygen content on mantle rock melting and early Earth magma ocean formation. The study reveals that oxygen fugacity significantly influences melting temperatures, suggesting current models need revision.
A recent study found that volcanic 'fires' in Iceland were triggered by the storage and melting of magma beneath the Earth's crust. The team used geochemical analysis to discover that the magma comes from underground melting of the crust, rather than directly from the mantle.
A new USC study provides unambiguous evidence that the Earth's inner core began to decrease its speed around 2010, moving slower than the Earth's surface. This change is caused by the churning of the liquid iron outer core, which generates the planet's magnetic field.
The Deep Dust project is a $2.3 million grant that aims to analyze sediment cores from Oklahoma's Anadarko Basin, revealing the state of the planet 300-250 million years ago. The study will provide insights into tectonic and climatic shifts influencing biological systems.
Researchers propose that ancient planet Theia collided with Earth billions of years ago, forming two continent-sized blobs of unusual material and the Moon. The blobs, known as large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs), are rich in iron and likely composed of different proportions of elements than the mantle surrounding them.
A University of Alberta study of superdeep diamonds provides previously unknown information about the formation and transport of diamonds within Gondwana, a ancient supercontinent. The research reveals that diamonds were transported to the base of Gondwana by host rocks carrying subducted mantle material.
A subpolar Atlantic plankton species was found in the central Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial period, indicating summers were ice-free. This discovery has implications for understanding Arctic climate dynamics without sea ice.
New research from Rice University suggests that ancient microorganisms helped cause massive volcanic events by facilitating the precipitation of minerals in banded iron formations. The study provides insight into processes that could produce habitable exoplanets and reframes scientists' understanding of Earth's early history.
Researchers used NASA InSight data to directly measure Mars' core properties, finding a completely liquid iron-alloy core with high percentages of sulfur and oxygen. This discovery provides new insights into Martian formation and geological differences between Earth and Mars, potentially impacting planetary habitability.
Researchers analyzed burnt artifacts, volcanic samples, and sediment cores to recreate the Earth's magnetic field over 9,000 years. Their new modeling technique predicts that the South Atlantic Anomaly will disappear within 300 years, ruling out an impending polarity reversal.
A new study published in AGU journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems suggests that Earth formed inside a solar nebula. The research found that vast stores of helium-3 from the Big Bang are leaking out of the Earth's core, providing evidence for this theory.
Researchers recreated conditions expected in Mars' core billions of years ago and found that molten metal gave rise to a brief magnetic field. This led to the evaporation of water vapor and eventual loss of Martian oceans about 4 billion years ago.
Researchers from Heidelberg University found solar noble gases in an iron meteorite, indicating that solar wind particles encased in the Earth's core over 4.5 billion years ago. The discovery suggests a new perspective on the Earth's mantle and its geochemical development.
Researchers discovered that water can bond strongly with iron under extreme conditions, explaining the presence of significant amounts of hydrogen in the Earth's core. This finding suggests that much of the water that arrived on Earth during its formation might be stored in the core as hydrogen.
Researchers found a naturally occurring 'earthquake gate' on New Zealand's Alpine Fault that decides which earthquakes grow into magnitude 8 or greater. The study suggests this gate could change the stress and break larger earthquake chains.
A rock core from Petrified Forest National Park has provided a continuous timeline of Earth's history from 225 million to 209 million years ago, shedding light on the Triassic dark ages. The analysis suggests two possible scenarios for the changes in the fossil record: gradual evolution or a powerful asteroid impact.
A team of scientists reports that most of Earth's carbon was hidden in the core during its formative years, with laboratory experiments mimicking the conditions of the planet's formation. The findings suggest that a significant amount of carbon likely exists in the core, influencing chemical and dynamic activities.
Researchers estimate Earth's core is composed of approximately 80-90% of the planet's bulk carbon, with a tiny fraction present in the core itself. The study measured the preference of carbon for mixing with iron and nickel at high pressures and temperatures, revealing a significantly lower affinity than previously reported.
Scientists Takashi Yoshizaki and Bill McDonough developed a new compositional model for Mars, predicting the depth to its core-mantle boundary at around 1,800 km. The model suggests moderate amounts of sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in Mars' core, with the core accounting for only about one-sixth of the planet's mass.
The Global Precipitation Measurement mission captured data on Hurricane Juliette's rainfall patterns, revealing a 'hook' shape of intense precipitation. The heaviest rainfall was found in the northwest thunderstorms, circling the storm's eye at rates over 36 mm/hour.
The University of Maryland-led project aims to upgrade lunar retroreflectors with next-generation versions, improving accuracy and coverage. This upgrade will enhance scientific research, test fundamental physics, and improve navigation on the lunar surface.
New insights into Earth's core chemical make-up were gained through extreme laboratory experiments, revealing the presence of silicon alongside iron and nickel. The discovery supports existing theories on planet formation driven by meteorite interactions, shedding light on the Earth's 4.5 billion-year-old history.
Researchers used high-energy laser beams and optical sensors to observe nitrogen behavior at extreme conditions, confirming it exists as a liquid metal. The findings shed light on the fundamental nature of nitrogen and its potential role in the planet's atmosphere evolution.
A team of scientists has found evidence that the Earth's core and mantle separated in a disordered fashion, preserving unique isotopic signatures. The researchers believe that chemical behavior of iodine at high pressure played a crucial role in this process.
Geologists at MIT found that ancient Earth's mantle was up to 200 degrees Celsius hotter, causing subducting plates to sink all the way to the bottom of the mantle. This led to a 'graveyard' of slabs atop the Earth's core, suggesting a significant change in how mantle convection and plate tectonic processes occurred.
Experiments suggest a significant amount of zinc in the Earth's core, contradicting previous theories. This implies a revised formation process and potential changes to the estimated Earth composition, including its core.
A new sunspot group has emerged on the sun, with its dark core larger than Earth, in a video captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory between July 5-11, 2017. This is the first sunspot to appear after two days of solar spotlessness during the sun's regular 11-year cycle.
Researchers aim to understand Earth's internal evolution through palaeomagnetism, shedding light on the role of the deep mantle in plate tectonics and the planet's magnetic field. The project seeks to answer questions about Earth's geological lifespan and the conditions that shape its surface.
Scientists have found that quartz crystals at the Earth's core provide an immense new energy source to power the planet's magnetic field. This discovery resolves the 'New Core Heat Paradox' and sheds light on the Earth's core cooling process.
The Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain's 60° bend is linked to motion near the Earth's core, according to a University of Sydney-Caltech collaboration. Rapid, coherent flow in the deep mantle causes changes in pile shapes, resolving a major enigma in volcanic seamount chains.
Researchers have found regional temperature variations of up to three times greater than expected in the lower mantle where it meets the core. The discovery will help explain the structure of the Earth and its formation.
Researchers at the University of Alberta investigated past changes in Earth's core rotation to understand global sea-level rise. They found a correlation between the slowing down of Earth's rotation and the increase in sea levels over the past century.
A new model of Earth's core formation suggests the magma ocean started out oxidized and became reduced over time through oxygen incorporation into the core. Higher oxygen concentrations were found in the core, contradicting previous estimates.
Scientists have long suspected sulphur in the Earth's core but now have conclusive geochemical evidence confirming its presence and estimating its vast quantity. The discovery lends weight to the theory that the Moon was formed by a planet-sized body colliding with the Earth.
Mantle plumes may be responsible for breaking up continents, according to a new study. The researchers used high-resolution computer simulations to demonstrate how the interaction between a plume and a plate under tensile stress can lead to continental breakup, forming rift systems and creating volcanoes.
Researchers created a timeline of planet and atmosphere formation by studying liquid basalt under extreme pressures and temperatures. They discovered molten magma once formed an ocean within the Earth's mantle.
The team used laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments to demonstrate that depletion of siderophile elements can be produced under more oxidizing conditions, suggesting oxygen played a prominent role in the Earth's core formation. This discovery allows for a reevaluation of planetary accretion and core formation processes.
An international team of physicists has made a groundbreaking discovery about the temperature profile in convection, which occurs in boiling liquids and turbulent movement of the Earth's outer core. The findings echo an important discovery from 1930 by Theodore von Kármán and Ludwig Prandtl, known as the Law of the Wall.
A study published in Nature Geoscience suggests that rapid mantle convection may influence the Earth's magnetic field, which is produced by convection currents in the liquid core. The research team found that changes in heat flow and density distribution in the mantle could lead to more frequent or less frequent geomagnetic reversals.
A University of Maryland team discovered that early-formed mantle portions survived Earth's formation, including a collision that created the Moon. Volcanic rocks from Russia show distinct tungsten isotope signatures, indicating that some parts of the early Earth may have remained intact until 2.8 billion years ago.
Early Earth's core may have formed from lighter chromium isotopes, which are mostly missing from the planet's mantle and crust. This finding provides new insights into the planet formation process.
Researchers at the University of Calgary have made a groundbreaking discovery about the Earth's core by analyzing seismic wave speed. The study reveals that the outer core is well mixed and lacks stratification, providing new insights into the planet's magnetic field and formation.
A new study published in New Journal of Physics suggests that the Earth's main magnetic field may be induced by ocean currents, defying previous theories. The researchers found correlations between changes in ocean circulation and geomagnetic secular variation, which could revolutionize our understanding of the magnetosphere.
Researchers built a novel device to study convection in rotational systems, providing new insights into how it controls planetary and stellar behavior. The findings show that fluid boundary layers control rotating convection systems, rather than Coriolis and buoyancy forces.
Recent measurements of the Earth's magnetic field revealed surprisingly fast motions in the fluid at the core, changing over just a few months. This change affects the Planet's magnetic field and is also linked to variations in Length-of-Day.
UC Davis researchers analyzed sediment cores from the Antarctic Ross Sea, revealing evidence of magnetic field vortices beneath the South Pole. This discovery contrasts with earlier studies at lower latitudes and may improve our understanding of core processes.
A graduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has made important findings on deep Earth interactions, suggesting a new mechanism for metal movement between the core and mantle. The research could have broad implications for geology and potentially lead to valuable deposits of gold and platinum.
Researchers at Delft University Technology replicate cylindrical fluid flow to generate slowly growing magnetic field. New experimental facilities enable more realistic replication of Earth's magnetic core.
Scientists can now directly measure heat from the Earth's core to the mantle boundary, essential for understanding tectonic plate movement. Researchers created 3D simulations using 70,000 computing hours on a supercomputer, producing synthetic seismograms and advancing knowledge of seismic wave behavior.
A team of seismologists detected a slab of sunken ocean floor at the Earth's core-mantle boundary, shedding light on mechanisms that give rise to volcanoes and earthquakes. The discovery suggests whole mantle circulation and provides new insights into the movement of tectonic plates.