Connect with us

Published

on

A massive ocean floor lurks near Earth’s core. Now, seismic imaging has revealed that it likely surrounds much — if not all — of the core. 

This thin, dense layer is lodged roughly 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) below Earth’s surface, between the core and the planet’s middle layer, called the mantle. And it might encompass the entire core-mantle boundary, according to a study published April 5 in the journal Science Advances (opens in new tab) . 

To study Earth’s interior, seismologists measure earthquake waves that zoom through the planet and then back out to Earth’s surface. By seeing how these waves change after passing through the different structures inside Earth, researchers can create a map of what Earth’s innards look like. Past research identified a handful of isolated pockets of dense ocean crust near the core. These pockets are called ultra-low-velocity-zone structures (ULVZs) because seismic waves travel very slowly through them.

“Only [approximately] 20% of the core-mantle boundary has been previously investigated for ULVZs, which have not been identified in all of these locations,” lead study author Samantha Hansen (opens in new tab) , an associate professor of geological sciences at The University of Alabama, told Live Science in an email. “It is possible that this anomalous material covers the entire core.”

In the new study, scientists placed seismic equipment at 15 stations located across Antarctica and collected data for three years. 

Related: 450-mile-wide solid metal ball forms Earth’s innermost core, earthquake waves reveal

This study marks the first time that high-resolution imaging of the core-mantle boundary was made using data from the Southern Hemisphere. The layer itself is razor-thin compared with the core, which is 450 miles (724 km) across, and the mantle, which is roughly 1,800 miles (2,900 km) thick.

“The thickness does vary, depending on location,” Hansen said, with some spots measuring about 3.1 miles (5 km) thick and others 31 miles (50 km) in thickness.

This ancient ocean layer likely developed when Earth’s tectonic plates shifted, causing oceanic material to be carried into the planet’s interior at subduction zones, the areas where two plates collide and force one to dip beneath the other. Over time, “accumulations of subducted oceanic material collect along the core-mantle boundary and are pushed by the slowly flowing rock in the mantle,” according to a statement (opens in new tab) . 

Researchers think the newly detected ULVZs are essentially “underground mountains” that allow heat to escape from Earth’s molten core, according to the statement.

“The presence of this layer could buffer heat flow across the core-mantle boundary, which is important because the temperature conditions in this portion of the Earth have been shown to strongly impact the planet’s magnetic field,” Hansen said.RELATED STORIES—’Completely new’ type of magnetic wave found surging through Earth’s core

—Rare primordial gas may be leaking out of Earth’s core

—Earth’s mantle has a gooey layer we never knew about

Chunks of this hidden ocean floor may also get swept up into mantle plumes — hot, upwelling jets of molten rock that fuel volcanic hotspots at the surface, such as in Hawaii, Hansen suggested. 

“Further, since mantle plumes are largely controlled by the thermal conditions near the core-mantle boundary, the temperature influence of ULVZs may help dictate where plumes form,” Hansen said.

The research team plans to expand their study by examining data collected from all available seismic stations in Antarctica.

Continue Reading

Politics

Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

Published

on

By

Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

The US housing regulator’s decision to recognize crypto assets in mortgage applications marks a historic shift from exclusion to integration, opening new pathways to homeownership.

Continue Reading

Business

US and EU agree trade deal, says Donald Trump

Published

on

By

US and EU agree trade deal, says Donald Trump

The United States and European Union have agreed a trade deal, says Donald Trump.

The announcement was made as the US president met European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen at one of his golf resorts in Scotland.

Speaking after talks in Turnberry, Mr Trump said the EU deal was the “biggest deal ever made” and it will be “great for cars”.

The US will impose 15% tariffs on EU goods into America, after Mr Trump had threatened a 30% levy.

He said there will be an EU investment of $600bn in the US, the bloc will buy $750bn in US energy and will also purchase US military equipment.

Mr Trump had earlier said the main sticking point was “fairness”, citing barriers to US exports of cars and agriculture.

He went into the talks demanding fairer trade with the 27-member EU and threatening steep tariffs to achieve that, while insisting the US will not go below 15% import taxes.

More from World

For months, Mr Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in the hope of shrinking major US trade deficits with many key trading partners, including the EU.

Ms von der Leyen said the agreement would include 15% tariffs across the board, saying it would help rebalance trade between the two large trading partners.

In case there was no deal and the US had imposed 30% tariffs from 1 August, the EU has prepared counter-tariffs on €93bn (£81bn) of US goods.

Ahead of their meeting on Sunday, Ms von der Leyen described Mr Trump as a “tough negotiator and dealmaker”.

Follow the World
Follow the World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

US

US and EU agree trade deal, says Donald Trump

Published

on

By

US and EU agree trade deal, says Donald Trump

The United States and European Union have agreed a trade deal, says Donald Trump.

The announcement was made as the US president met European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen at one of his golf resorts in Scotland.

Speaking after talks in Turnberry, Mr Trump said the EU deal was the “biggest deal ever made” and it will be “great for cars”.

The US will impose 15% tariffs on EU goods into America, after Mr Trump had threatened a 30% levy.

He said there will be an EU investment of $600bn in the US, the bloc will buy $750bn in US energy and will also purchase US military equipment.

Mr Trump had earlier said the main sticking point was “fairness”, citing barriers to US exports of cars and agriculture.

He went into the talks demanding fairer trade with the 27-member EU and threatening steep tariffs to achieve that, while insisting the US will not go below 15% import taxes.

More from World

For months, Mr Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in the hope of shrinking major US trade deficits with many key trading partners, including the EU.

Ms von der Leyen said the agreement would include 15% tariffs across the board, saying it would help rebalance trade between the two large trading partners.

In case there was no deal and the US had imposed 30% tariffs from 1 August, the EU has prepared counter-tariffs on €93bn (£81bn) of US goods.

Ahead of their meeting on Sunday, Ms von der Leyen described Mr Trump as a “tough negotiator and dealmaker”.

Follow the World
Follow the World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

Trending