Articles tagged with Earth Mantle
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Researchers used the Advanced Photon Source to identify naturally occurring water at 410 kilometers below the Earth's surface, in the form of Ice-VII, a cubic crystalline form of water. This discovery could change our understanding of how water circulates deep in the Earth's mantle and how heat escapes.
Researchers discovered crystallized water trapped in diamonds formed at extreme depths, challenging previous assumptions about diamond origins. The study suggests water may exist in the lower mantle, potentially affecting ocean water recycling and Earth's internal dynamics.
Researchers created synthetic specimens similar to upper mantle rocks and measured their rigidity under conditions simulating the Earth's mantle. This study challenges a long-held theory that defects involving water absorption in normally dry rocks control seismic wave speeds.
Researchers found unique diamond impurities containing Ice-VII, a naturally occurring aqueous fluid from the deep mantle. This discovery provides evidence of water-rich regions deep below the Earth's crust and has significant implications for understanding the planet's inner workings.
A new study from the University of the Witwatersrand reveals that magmas can form chromite deposits through decompression as they rise to the surface, producing valuable resources like platinum and chromium. The study suggests that lithostatic pressure reduction plays a vital role in forming these deposits.
Analysis of Réunion volcanic rocks indicates that their source material originates from isolated regions of the mantle with distinct chemistry. The discovery provides a unique fingerprint for the age and history of these ancient mantle pockets.
Researchers discovered diamond formation from ankerite through spontaneous iron reduction, suggesting a possible mechanism for abundant diamond creation in Earth's lower mantle. The process occurs without melting at high pressures and temperatures, similar to those found in meteoritic impact zones.
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.
Researchers found highly oxidized iron in garnets from diamonds at a depth of 550 km below the Earth's surface, contradicting expectations about iron oxidation in the mantle. This discovery suggests that molten carbonate may have oxidized rocks to form diamonds.
Scientists propose that Martian surface reacted with water and then absorbed it, increasing rock oxidation. The planet's composition, temperature profile and iron content made the surface prone to reaction, dragging water down into the mantle.
The Andes were formed due to the South American subduction zone, where an oceanic plate sinks into the Earth's mantle, causing crustal shortening and mountain building. The subduction zone's size and depth led to large-scale flow in the deep mantle, resulting in the continent's westward drag and collision with the subduction zone.
Researchers simulated massive collisions after the Moon's formation, finding that moon-sized objects delivered significantly more mass to the young planet. This late accretion period lasted for hundreds of millions of years and had important consequences for the earliest evolution of Earth.
Researchers at University of Toronto and Istanbul Technical University propose an 'active drip' model for the formation of the Central Anatolian Plateau, where the lower tectonic plate has dripped below Earth's surface. This process is linked to the planet's crust and upper mantle thickening and sinking into the lower mantle.
Scientists have discovered that heterogeneities in the Earth's mantle are at least a kilometer in size, enabling the survival of their chemical signature during magma transport. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of mantle convection and its impact on tectonic plate movement.
Researchers traced ancient zircon minerals' chemical signatures to understand the recycling of carbon from the mantle to the surface. The study suggests a series of fortunate events led to optimal conditions for releasing anomalous amounts of carbon, which in turn shaped the modern carbon cycle.
A new study by an international research group has discovered a natural process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen at the Earth's core-mantle boundary. This reaction could generate massive amounts of free hydrogen, affecting the deep Earth's water and hydrogen cycles. The findings also suggest the potential for large-scale oxyg...
Scientists have found evidence that komatiites, three-billion-year-old volcanic rocks found within the Earth's mantle, had a different composition than modern ones. This discovery may provide new information about the first one billion years of Earth's development and early origins of life.
Scientists have discovered that the moon's mantle is composed of orthopyroxene, not olivine, contrary to previous assumptions. This finding challenges models for the formation and evolution of the Moon and its differences from Earth.
Researchers at UTA and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology discovered the generation of H2, O2, H2O, and CO2 in the Earth's mantle, shedding new light on planetary evolution. The study also found that deep mantle upwelling can oxidize fluids to produce water and carbon dioxide.
Researchers found that the strength of olivine increases with decreasing grain size, indicating the mantle is weaker than believed. This discovery may help understand how tectonic plates form and deform.
Researchers developed a method to analyze hot spot tracks and found most groups are fixed and relatively motionless, moving at about 4 millimeters per year. This contradicts previous findings that suggested hot spots moved as much as 33 millimeters a year.
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.
Researchers found that ultra-low velocity zones are different in composition from the surrounding mantle and migrate towards the margins of large blobs. These findings suggest that pockets of rock with distinct compositions collect at the boundary between Earth's core and mantle, likely driven by heat.
Scientists have discovered water in ancient volcanic deposits on the Moon's surface, finding that nearly all large pyroclastic deposits contain high amounts of trapped water. This bolsters the idea that the lunar mantle may be more water-rich than previously thought, with implications for future lunar exploration.
Researchers studied iron carbonate under extreme conditions to understand the deep Earth's carbon cycle and its role in global warming. They found unprecedented structural stability of a tetracarbonate phase at high pressures, suggesting self-oxidation-reduction reactions can preserve carbonates in the lower mantle.
A new study reveals that the 60-degree bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor chain is primarily caused by a directional change in the Pacific plate motion. The research also suggests that some southward plume motion is required, but this cannot be explained by current mantle convection models.
Researchers used X-ray techniques and atomic resolution electron microscopy to study bridgmanite, the dominant mineral in Earth's mantle. They found that changes in iron composition at certain pressures cause bridgmanite to become more viscous, leading to slowed flow patterns.
Geologists created a computer model that helps understand Earth's interior and predicts tectonic activity, including earthquakes and volcanoes. The team found that the subducting slab is the dominant driving force behind mantle deformation.
A team of researchers led by Esteban Gazel discovered deep portions of Earth's mantle might be as hot as it was more than 2.5 billion years ago. They found magnesium concentrations and textural evidence similar to the mysterious Archean komatiites in rocks from the 90 million-year-old Tortugal Suite in Costa Rica.
Researchers at University of Leicester discovered that the Earth's mantle is divided into two large domains that convect independently, with limited mixing between them. Upper mantle material flows to lower parts of the mantle when it reaches a subduction zone, maintaining separate domains.
Researchers examined rock samples from the Earth's mantle and found that water penetrated deep into the crust and upper mantle, cooling almost instantly. The discovery supports one side of a long-standing debate on crust formation and could have implications for fighting climate change.
Researchers found geochemical anomalies, known as 'fingerprints' of early Earth conditions, in young volcanic rocks from Hawaii and Samoa. These signatures suggest that the planet's interior may not be well mixed after all.
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.
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution suggest the mantle could be 60°C hotter than estimated, affecting tectonic plate movement and ocean basin formation. This finding may help explain the formation of the seafloor and the movement of rigid plates.
Scientists at Tohoku University simulated the formation of super-deep diamonds using high-pressure and high-temperature experiments. The study suggests that these rare diamonds can form through the reaction of Mg-carbonate and silica minerals at extreme depths, offering new insights into Earth's interior conditions.
Researchers found the average temperature of Earth's mantle beneath ocean basins is about 60 degrees Celsius higher than previously thought, thanks to water in deep minerals. This discovery may change our understanding of tectonic plate movements and mantle viscosity.
A new study by Australian National University has found evidence of seawater cycling as deep as 2,900km into the Earth's mantle, raising questions about how the atmosphere and oceans formed. The research suggests alternative theories, such as icy comets or meteorites bringing water to Earth, could be plausible.
Researchers at LSU have found evidence of a complex mantle beneath the Elysium volcanic province on Mars, with geochemical changes suggesting primary magmatic processes. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding Mars' geological history and potential hazards for future human missions.
Scientists have discovered a primordial soup in the Earth's mantle older than the moon, containing helium-3, a vestige of the Big Bang. Only the hottest and most buoyant mantle plumes draw from this reservoir, suggesting it may be preserved due to its density.
Analysis by Carnegie's Marion Le Voyer and Erik Hauri has doubled the world's known finds of mantle carbon, revealing a more complex distribution than previously thought. The team studied tiny magmatic inclusions trapped inside solid crystals that protected them from degassing during magma ascent and eruption.
Large gem diamonds contain metallic inclusions and traces of fluid methane and hydrogen, providing insights into the deep mantle. The composition of these inclusions resolves a major enigma in diamond formation.
Research reveals that large gem diamonds, like Cullinan and Lesotho Promise, formed from pure carbon crystalized in a pool of liquid metal. The study provides insights into deep Earth processes and oxygen availability in the mantle.
The breakup of supercontinent Pangea led to a significant decrease in oceanic crust thickness, with the oldest crust being about one mile thicker than modern-day crust. This is attributed to the cooling of the Earth's interior and the exposure of deeper mantle to the atmosphere and oceans.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that water is stored far deeper in the Earth than previously thought. Researchers estimate that water exists between 400 to 600 kilometers into the mantle, where it is transported through a high-pressure polymorph of brucite.
Researchers found variable boron isotope ratios in ancient igneous rocks, suggesting changing carbon sources in the mantle over geological time. The study provides insights into crustal formation and tectonic plate movement, potentially dating back several billion years.
A new study reveals that Greenland's ice sheet lost nearly 2,700 gigatons of ice from 2003-2013, 7.6% more than previously thought, due to mantle softening caused by the Iceland hotspot. This correction refines understanding of modern ice loss patterns and their evolution.
Florida State University geology researcher Mainak Mookherjee explores feldspar elasticity to explain seismic discontinuity. At extreme pressures, feldspar decomposes into denser mineral phases, which could partially explain this phenomenon.
Researchers computed precise amount of continental crust before and after collision, concluding that half the mass is missing due to sinking into mantle. The finding explains puzzling geochemistry and throws out long-held idea that continental crust can't descend into mantle.
Researchers developed a method to measure lithosphere strength using magnetotelluric imaging, revealing accurate descriptions of surface structures and correlating with volcanic and seismic activity. This technique may aid understanding of earthquake and volcanic processes.
A study by Rice University researchers proposes that the origin of Earth's volatile elements, including carbon, can be explained by a massive collision between Earth and an embryonic planet similar to Mercury. This collision may have led to the exclusion of carbon from Earth's core and its incorporation into the silicate mantle.
A new study by Yale University researcher Jun Korenaga suggests that planets like Earth form through multiple giant impacts, leading to diverse sizes and internal temperatures. This lack of self-regulating mantle convection has significant implications for planetary habitability.
A new study from the University of Washington reveals that a common type of volcano draws its lava from both the mantle and the crust, challenging traditional geological beliefs. Researchers found that the basalt's magnesium signature is similar to the crustal material, suggesting that fluid movement plays a role in seismic activity at...
Research from University of Toronto and University of Aberdeen suggests ancient 'scars' in the Earth's crust may trigger earthquakes and mountain formation. The team proposes a new 'perennial plate tectonic map' to illustrate how past processes impact present-day geological activity.
A team of Carnegie scientists has identified a form of iron oxide that resembles pyrite, which they believe could be responsible for seismic and geothermal signatures in the deep mantle. The discovery sheds new light on Earth's formation and evolution, and may even offer an alternative explanation for the Great Oxygenation Event.
A team of researchers found material dating back to shortly after Earth's formation in rock formations from Baffin Island and the Ontong-Java Plateau. The discovery sheds light on the planet's internal dynamics over its last 4.5 billion years, providing new insights into the chemistry and processes that shaped our planet.
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 compiled the first global set of observations of the Earth's mantle movement, finding chaotic convection with length scales on the order of 1000km. This discovery challenges long-held geological predictions and has implications for understanding oceanic circulation, past climate change, and hydrocarbon generation.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in January's Iniskin event shook the Cook Inlet region of Alaska, prompting seismologists to revise their estimates of intermediate-depth earthquakes in the area. The quake's unusual depth of 123 km below the surface resulted in minimal damage, but could affect future hazard risk estimates in southern Alaska.
Researchers used high-performance computing to investigate the cause of Mount Kosciuszko's formation. They found that the mountain range was uplifted twice due to a combination of gravitational forces and mantle movements, resulting in the iconic Australian Alps.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have discovered a direct link between fault activity and water entering the Earth's mantle. The study found that the amount of serpentinite formed at the bottom of each fault is directly proportional to the displacement on that fault.