London, September 20
Scientists have identified a rare geological shift near the boundary between Earth's core and mantle after satellite data revealed an unexplained change in the planet's gravitational field.
The change, which occurred between 2006 and 2008, was detected only recently during an analysis of data from a pair of satellites that once measured variations in Earth's gravity. Researchers believe the shift may have been triggered when the structure of some rocks near the boundary between Earth's core and mantle transformed, becoming denser
The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, could help explain connections between Earth's various layers, which influence earthquakes, the planet's magnetic field, among others.
The discovery was detected using data from a pair of US-German satellites known as the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), which orbited Earth between 2002 and 2017. The twin satellites flew in tandem, measuring changes in distance between them caused by variations in Earth's gravity field.
GRACE has often been used to measure movements of water and ice, but the data showed a signal peaking around 2007 off Africa's Atlantic coast that could not be explained by surface changes.
One explanation is that perovskite, a mineral found in rocks near the bottom of the mantle, changed structure under extreme pressure, making the rocks denser. This could have caused a chain of shifts extending to the core-mantle boundary, which may have deformed by about 10 centimetres. Such movement might also explain magnetic anomalies recorded in the same region around 2007. (ANI/WAM)
— ANI
Reader Comments
Fascinating! This shows how much we still don't know about our own planet. Hope Indian space research organizations like ISRO are tracking such phenomena too. The core-mantle boundary affecting magnetic fields is mind-blowing! 🤯
While this is interesting research, I'm concerned about the practical implications. If such changes can affect earthquakes and magnetic fields, what does this mean for countries like India that are seismically active? More investment in early warning systems needed.
Incredible that satellites can detect changes 3000 km below the surface! The GRACE mission data keeps giving us surprises. Wonder if similar changes are happening under the Indian subcontinent that we should study.
This is why basic scientific research matters! While some people question funding space programs, discoveries like this show how they help us understand Earth itself. Jai Vigyan! 🚀
The timing around 2007 is interesting - weren't there some unusual weather patterns around that time? Maybe connected? Nature always has its mysteries. Hope our scientists in India are working on similar research.
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