Articles tagged with Earth Mantle
Researchers developed new algorithms to simulate global mantle flow, plate tectonics, and individual fault zones, achieving a resolution of about one kilometer near the plate boundaries. The model accurately predicted plate movements, including anomalous rapid motion of microplates in the western Pacific.
This article highlights various scientific discoveries in September 2010 Geology, including a study on Neoproterozoic ice ages and their impact on the environment. Researchers also investigate stress-driven failure during fracture array growth and explore the relationship between Antarctic glaciation and tropical rain belt migration.
Scientists have discovered a new window into the Earth's violent past by analyzing geochemical evidence from volcanic rocks on Baffin Island. The study suggests that the primitive mantle, which dates back to just tens of millions of years after the Earth's formation, was already depleted in incompatible elements compared to chondrites.
Researchers found evidence for the oldest Earth mantle reservoir on Baffin Island, dating back to between 4.55 and 4.45 billion years ago. The discovery suggests an alternative to the traditional chondritic model of the Earth's composition.
Researchers have discovered an active strike-slip fault on the island of Trinidad, highlighting a major seismic hazard. The study also found that the lower crust is significantly weaker than the mantle at the Moho, and K/U ratio in the mantle records a snapshot of early Earth weathering.
Researchers have made a breakthrough in finding diamonds, discovering that kimberlites owe their origin to hot mantle plumes rising from the core-mantle boundary. This new understanding will help geologists concentrate their search for diamond-bearing rocks within ancient cratons, increasing the odds of finding precious gems.
Scientists propose that mantle flow, rather than plate boundaries, drives uplift and volcanism in mobile belts. The study identifies two mountain ranges raised almost entirely by mantle flow in Spain and France.
Scientists used quantum mechanics to simulate silica behavior under high-temperature and pressure conditions, revealing the mineral's structure changes dramatically with depth. The study suggests the lower mantle may be devoid of silica, except in localized areas where oceanic plates have subducted.
Researchers detected ocean internal tides using seismic imaging, revealing a new tool for studying ocean mixing. Meanwhile, Arctic ice was found to be 'rotten' due to uniform temperature, threatening marine ecosystems and climate science.
The study examines crustal melting during continental subduction, revealing evidence of igneous diapirism and its impact on mountain belts. Researchers also investigate the weight of the Andes affecting the continental crust and correlate the Mocha fracture zone with orogenic uplift.
A new study by an international team has used seafloor seismometers to image the Hawaiian mantle, revealing a high-temperature plume from the lower mantle. The findings suggest that the Hawaiian hot spot is the result of this upwelling plume, which tilts southeastward as it extends downward.
Seismic images of a mantle plume extending to depths of at least 1,500 kilometers reveal the roots of Hawaii's volcanic hotspot. The PLUME project provides high-resolution seismic images of the structure beneath the island of Hawaii.
Researchers have mapped the deep origins of the Hawaiian Hotspot using a large network of sea-floor seismometers. The study provides strong support for the existence of a mantle plume beneath Hawaii, with implications for the Earth's composition and evolution over time.
The Geological Society of America has awarded the prestigious Penrose, Day, and Donath medals to B. Clark Burchfiel, T. Mark Harrison, and Cin-Ty A. Lee for their outstanding original work in geological sciences. The awards recognize major advances in geology and are presented at the GSA Annual Meeting.
Researchers at Oregon State University have created a global three-dimensional map of electrical conductivity in the Earth's mantle, indicating areas of high conductivity coincide with subduction zones. The model suggests that water drawn downward during subduction processes may be responsible for enhanced conductivity in these areas.
Researchers found platinum content in komatiites gradually increased from 3.5 billion years ago to 2.9 billion years ago, indicating the deep source of komatiite was gaining platinum over time. This discovery has significant implications for understanding mantle processes and plate tectonics.
Researchers found ethane and heavier hydrocarbons can be synthesized in the deep Earth, suggesting a new possible source of oil and gas. The discovery suggests that saturated hydrocarbons exist deeper in the Earth without requiring organic matter.
Research highlights the role of large igneous provinces (LIPs) in shaping Earth's surface, while also uncovering new climate oscillation patterns. Experts analyze topographic metrics to understand hillslope evolution, resolving long-standing debates over porphyroblasts and neptunian eruptions.
A study by UC Davis geochemists has produced the first picture of how different isotopes of iron were initially distributed in the solid Earth 4.5 billion years ago. The discovery could lead to investigations into the evolution of Earth's mantle and its geologic history.
Computer simulations and ancient magnetism reveal that mantle plumes can move beneath the Earth's crust, contradicting the long-held theory of fixed hotspots. The research suggests that a plume may have bent nearly 1,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean, with its top moving over 19 degrees north latitude.
Researchers believe Nyiragongo's unique lava is coming from a pristine deep-mantle source, identical to ancient asteroids. The discovery may indicate the beginning of a new mantle plume, contributing to volcanism and earthquakes in the region.
AfricaArray trains masters and doctoral students in geophysics, supports research on the African superplume. The program combines student education with research and field schools, aiming to improve understanding of the continent's geological phenomena.
Scientists from GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences developed a numerical model to calculate future continent positions. The continents function as a thermal blanket, causing heat accumulation and super-continent break-up., A self-regulating system develops, resulting in reorganization of mantle convection.
Researchers have discovered two giant plumes of hot rock deep within the earth linked to plate motions that shape the continents. The superplumes, one beneath Hawaii and the other beneath Africa, are surrounded by a wall of plates from Earth's crust that have sunk into the mantle.
Scientists at Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory found that highly oxidized iron in mantle minerals is crucial for heat transfer in the lower mantle. The discovery challenges current models of mantle dynamics and has significant implications for understanding material movement throughout the planet.
Ancient lava flows from Tahiti and western Germany have provided insights into past patterns of the Earth's magnetic field. The study suggests that a second magnetic field source in the shallow core may play a role in determining how and whether the main field reverses direction.
Scientists recreated materials at extreme pressures and temperatures, revealing rare atomic properties that may affect heat transfer, superplume formation, and seismic wave speed. This discovery requires reinterpreting seismic images of the lowermost mantle.
Scientists have discovered a new mineral, xieite, with a post-spinel structure in the Suizhou meteorite. The mineral is a high-pressure polymorph of chromite-spinel with a density about 10% denser than chromite.
Scientists from Durham University are exploring the Mid-Atlantic Ridge tectonic plate boundary using robots to map individual volcanoes and collect rock samples. The research aims to shed light on the timescales behind Earth's crust formation and related tectonic plates.
A Florida State University researcher has challenged the long-held 'late veneer hypothesis' regarding the formation of the Earth. By studying palladium distribution at high pressures and temperatures, Humayun's team found that it can be explained by means other than millions of years of meteorite bombardment.
Researchers developed a framework to explain mantle motion, challenging previous assumptions and providing new insights into the Earth's inaccessible interior. The model presents a chemically complex inner Earth, sharply contrasting the previously held paradigm of a well-mixed mantle.
Researchers found a special geochemical signature in Arctic volcanic rocks that resembles the one found only in the southern hemisphere. The discovery suggests that processes at work in the Indian Ocean might have an analog in the northern hemisphere, and sheds light on the origin of the Dupal anomaly.
Researchers uncover rare two-billion-year-old window into the Earth's mantle, shedding light on geological history. The discovery suggests the mantle is not as well-mixed or homogenous as previously believed.
Researchers have mapped the 8-mile thick molten rock layers beneath the Atlantic Ocean's edges, providing insight into the break-up of continents and massive greenhouse gas releases. The study also developed a new method to see through lava flows, enabling oil exploration in previously restricted areas.
Researchers propose that mantle convection played a role in forming Mercury's lobate scarps, contrary to earlier theories. The simulations suggest that upwellings from mantle convection take on a linear roll shape, distinct from other planets' features.
Scientists at Imperial College London have discovered that dense plates tend to be held in the upper mantle, while younger and lighter plates sink into the lower mantle. This new understanding could improve earthquake risk assessments by explaining plate movements and earthquakes in regions like the Western Pacific.
Scientists from IRD and University of Chile investigate hot spot volcanism in the central Pacific Ocean. Numerical simulation models reveal an alternative scenario involving shearing strain within tectonic plates. This could lead to a reevaluation of the break-up of the Earth's largest tectonic plate.
Researchers used laboratory experiments and calculations to understand how thin tendrils of magma can persist in roiling fluids, forming hotspot volcanism. The study applies to both small-scale and large-scale geological features, providing insights into Earth's interior dynamics.
Scientists find unusual electronic characteristics in lower mantle material, leading to slower sound wave propagation. This discovery challenges traditional techniques for understanding the region and may require re-evaluation of seismic data.
A UBC study suggests that an ancient magma ocean may have existed beneath the Earth's surface, accounting for the discrepancy between the planet's mantle and core composition. This layer of molten rock would have stored some of the elements found in chondrite, primitive rocks from the earliest time of the solar system.
Research by Arizona State University scientists reveals that helium-3/helium-4 ratios can be used to identify areas with high geothermal resource potential. Analyzing samples from over 60 hot springs and shallow wells in the Basin and Range province, they discovered a correlation between helium ratios and deformation rates.
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.
Geologists at the University of Illinois report a direct relationship between magma production and tectonic plate convergence rates in a Caribbean submarine volcano. Analyzing rock samples from Kick'em Jenny, they found a higher protactinium-to-uranium ratio indicative of slower melting rates due to slow subduction rates.
Seismologists have recast their understanding of the Earth's inner workings, depicting it as a dynamic and chemically diverse living organism. New research shows that Earth's upper mantle exhibits chemical heterogeneity beyond just temperature and pressure.
Researchers at the University of Bonn found that majorite minerals act as oxygen reservoirs, releasing stored oxygen to form water and sustain life on Earth. This mechanism helps prevent the Earth from becoming as dry and inhospitable as Mars.
Researchers discovered that material in the lower mantle behaves differently than predicted by models, indicating a continuous spin-transition zone from 620 to 1,365 miles deep. This finding calls into question traditional techniques for modeling this region of the planet and may explain some experimental findings.
Scientists have located the spin transition zone of iron in Earth's lower mantle, a discovery that could improve our understanding of the planet's structure, composition, and dynamics. The study used advanced techniques to probe the electronic spin state of iron under high pressure-temperature conditions.
Argon atoms are found to be tenaciously bound in the Earth's mantle and move slowly, contradicting widely held theories. This suggests that early degassing was incomplete and primordial gases still remain trapped at great depth.
A recent PNAS study found that the current Earth system has improved heat regulation compared to 60 million years ago when small tectonic plates existed. The research suggests that plate size and number significantly affect heat loss, with smaller plates leading to greater heat escape from the mantle.
A multidisciplinary research team, including experts from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will conduct the first search for life on the seafloor of the world's most isolated ocean. The team uses three new autonomous underwater vehicles to sniff out chemical and temperature signals of hot fluids venting out of the ocean floor.
A team of scientists led by Sébastien Merkel found that post-perovskite, a high-pressure silicate mineral, doesn't fit what is known about the mysterious layer D
Researchers found changes in Mars' topography that could be explained by surface deformation from 'true polar wander', a phenomenon where a planet's spin axis shifts. The study suggests large oceans on Mars existed in the past, with evidence pointing to the presence of vast oceans and massive deformations along ancient shorelines.
Scientists have discovered that earthquake-induced gravity field changes can slowly recover to initial conditions, possibly due to simultaneous diffusion of mantle water. This self-healing system could significantly reduce permanent shifts in the Earth's rotation axis by earthquakes. Meanwhile, recent trends in Arctic Ocean mass distri...
Researchers in France have successfully modeled the defects responsible for deformation in the Earth's mantle layer, a 2900-kilometer-deep region that has long puzzled geophysicists. By studying dislocations at the atomic scale, they gained insights into the layer's deformation and its effects on convection movements within the mantle.
Researchers at Rutgers University have found chemical evidence of recycled rocks in Hawaiian volcanoes, suggesting the Earth's crust is being recycled on a grand scale. This discovery extends beyond calcium and includes other elements such as sulfur, hafnium, and lead, which provide clues about the origin and behavior of magma.
Scientists explore factors that pulled Earth out of its 'Snowball Earth' state and study seismic wave speed in the lower mantle. Researchers also investigate water vapor in Saturn's upper atmosphere using Cassini radio occultation data.
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.
Researchers have made significant discoveries about the structure of Earth's core-mantle boundary, including a post-perovskite lens and temperature measurements that shed light on heat flow deep within the planet. The findings have implications for understanding the age of Earth's solid inner core and its magnetic field.
Seismologists have directly measured heat flowing from the molten core into a region of the lower mantle for the first time. The new temperature measurements provide insight into the geodynamo and tectonic plate movement, helping scientists understand the Earth's internal dynamics.
Researchers found that magnesiowüstite, a common mineral in the lower mantle, absorbs infrared light when compressed to extreme pressures. This suggests that radiation may not play a significant role in heat flow near Earth's core.