Earth’s Crust is ‘Dripping’ Beneath Turkey’s Konya Basin
Scientists have recently uncovered a rare geological event occurring beneath the Central Anatolian Plateau in Türkiye. This phenomenon, known as “crustal dripping,” has been shaping the Konya Basin, sparking intrigue among geologists. Satellite imagery and detailed geological data have played a significant role in revealing the intricate process behind this event.
The Process Behind Crustal Dripping
Crustal dripping occurs when dense fragments of Earth’s crust detach and sink into the semi-fluid mantle below. This process leads to surface subsidence, forming basins and reshaping the landscape. The subsidence of the Konya Basin is attributed to this multi-stage lithospheric dripping, a relatively new concept in geology.
The Role of Plate Tectonics
At its core, the phenomenon relates to Earth’s tectonic activity. Tectonic plates, which make up the lithosphere, shift and interact, leading to various geological events such as earthquakes, mountain formation, and volcanic activity. The detachment and sinking of crustal materials into the mantle highlight a new dynamic in the study of plate tectonics.
Researchers utilised satellite data to identify a distinct circular pattern of subsidence in the Konya Basin. Further analysis revealed anomalies in the mantle and crust, indicating the presence of high-density materials sinking deeper into the planet’s mantle. These findings were supported by seismic data, confirming the occurrence of lithospheric dripping.
Global Implications of the Study
Interestingly, similar geological processes have been observed in other parts of the world, including the Arizaro Basin in South America. This suggests that crustal dripping is not limited to Türkiye but may occur in various tectonic regions across the globe. The findings are expected to offer insights into tectonic processes on planets like Mars and Venus, where tectonic systems differ from Earth.
Conclusion: A New Frontier in Geological Research
The discovery of crustal dripping beneath Türkiye offers new perspectives on Earth’s tectonic processes. Türkiye’s unique geological landscape is now a focal point for understanding the deeper workings of our planet’s interior.
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A stunning solar eruption captured on video on the night of May 12-13 has revealed a 600,000-mile-long filament blasting away from the sun’s northern hemisphere. The outburst occurred around 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) and spanned a distance more than twice that between Earth and the moon. A massive solar filament suspended above the sun’s surface became unstable and erupted, blasting a CME into space along with a cloud of plasma and magnetic energy. Preliminary models show Earth is nowhere in the firing range of this fiery ejection, but researchers are still watching the phenomenon closely.
Sun’s 600,000-Mile-Long ‘Angel-Wing’ Eruption Stuns Skywatchers, Signals Rising Solar Activity
As per the Space.com report, the eruption originated from a filament structure composed of dense, cooler solar plasma held aloft by magnetic fields. These structures often appear as dark ribbons across the sun’s disk and can become unstable without warning. Solar observers noted that this latest eruption dwarfed similar recent events, both in scale and intensity. Aurora chaser Jure Atanackov remarked that the CME from the blast was among the most spectacular seen this year, although fortunately, it is headed north and will miss Earth.
The event, dubbed the “angel-wing” or “bird-wing” eruption by observers online, was widely shared among solar watchers. Vincent Ledvina, another aurora chaser, noted its incredible visual impact, describing it as a sight worth watching on loop. The eruption is, in fact, so long, by more than a million kilometres, that it is of scientific interest and visually striking as well. Geomagnetic storms resulting from this kind of CME can affect satellites, communication systems, and even Earth.
Although it foreshadows the unpredictable nature of our host star, this particular CME does not pose a threat to Earth at the moment. Solar activity is ramping up as we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25 in 2025. What’s more, more — and maybe more Earth-threatening — solar explosions could follow.
As a reminder of the formidable and delicate forces at play relatively close by on Earth, the sun remains a source of wonder for astronomers and skywatchers alike.
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Over 80 years, dark matter has been a great mystery for the researchers. Elusive of direct observation, it has made its existence known only by the gravitational impacts it makes on cosmic structures. Even though there is a lot of indirect evidence of its existence, the real nature of dark matter is still unknown. An important attribute of its particle is mass. While past studies have constrained the mass of fermionic dark matter using quantum principles like Pauli’s exclusion principle, bosonic dark matter remained less constrained. In a recent study, scientists have estimated a new lower bound on the mass of ultra-lightweight bosonic dark matter particles.
About the study
According to the study published in Physical Review Letters, the mass of ultralight bosonic dark matter must be more than 2 × 10-21 electron volts (eV), 100 times more than previous estimates using Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
The team of researchers, led by the first author of the study, Tim Zimmermann, a Ph.D. candidate at the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, focused their method on the data of Leo II, the Milky Way’s satellite galaxy. It is a dwarf galaxy 1,000 times smaller than the Milky Way. By analyzing the internal motions of stars within Leo II—heavily influenced by dark matter—the team derived 5,000 possible dark matter density profiles using a tool called GRAVSPHERE.
They compared these with profiles generated by quantum wave functions of various dark matter particle masses. If the particle is too light, quantum fuzziness spreads it too thinly, preventing it from forming the observed structures. The study concluded that the dark matter particle must have a mass greater than 2.2 × 10⁻²¹ electron volts (eV)—over 100 times more than previous lower estimates.
Impact on dark matter studies
The findings have significant implications for popular ultralight dark matter models, particularly fuzzy dark matter, which typically proposes particles with masses around 10-22 ev.
Looking ahead, the team plans to extend their methodology to mixed dark matter scenarios, where dark matter is composed of particles with different masses.
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