Recreating the Intense Conditions of the Earth's Mantle Solves A Long-standing Geological Mystery

D-brief
By Bill Andrews
Jan 11, 2019 10:26 PMNov 3, 2019 7:04 PM
inner earth
The various layers of the inner Earth. (Credit: Ellen Bronstayn/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Science is never exactly easy, but it’s especially tough when you can’t see, touch or even really interact with your subject. Consider the plight of a geophysicist interested in the makeup and structure of Earth’s interior. Without being able to dig up a sample of our planet’s ultrahot, ultra-pressurized mantle, how can they figure out what makes our planet work?

The answer, in part, is seismic waves. When the ground shakes, as in an earthquake, the vibrations go through and interact with all the materials in their way. This can provide scientists with a means of imaging all those materials, allowing them to virtually peer beneath the surface.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.