The study reveals secrets hidden deep inside the Earth’s interior that could have a profound effect on the future of the planet we call home.
The research paper, published in the Earth and Planetary Science Letters, shows that the core of the Earth is cooling faster than scientists previously thought.
Scientists have tested the conductivity of bridgemanite, previously referred to as the Earth’s most abundant substance, found abundantly between the Earth’s inner core and mantle, a space known as the core-mantle-boundary (CMB).
Scientists experimenting with bridgemanite using the extreme temperatures and pressures found in CMB have found that bridgemanite is about 1.5 times more heat-conducting than previously thought.
As a result, the transfer of heat from the high temperatures found in the center of the earth to its outer regions, such as the mantle’s molten rock and beyond, is happening faster than previously thought.
It has a profound effect on our understanding of what is happening under our feet, at the center of the earth, and what it might mean for our future inhabitants of the surface.
Motohiko Murakami, a professor at ETH Zurich University in Switzerland, told Newsweek: “Since we have found that the thermal conductivity of Bridgemanite is 1.5 times higher than previously thought, the heat transfer from the core will be more efficient than previously thought, ultimately faster – the expected core cooling.”
The transfer of heat from the Earth’s interior to the Earth’s surface occurs through convection currents in the molten rock of the mantle which creates plate tectonics in the Earth’s crust – the transfer of plates above the Earth’s surface. Mantle that causes earthquakes and volcanic activity. On the surface of the planet
Paper searches suggest that “stronger mantle convection” is expected, meaning that tectonic activity may also change.
“Through mantle convection, heat can be transferred from the deepest part of the earth to the surface, which is the main source of energy for tectonic activity,” Murakami said. “So, if we assume more robust mantle convection, more active tectonics can be imagined.”
Among the effects of the paper was a possible insight into the future of the earth’s geology, far ahead.
Often compared to Earth’s long-term trajectory and history, Murakami said his research showed that Mars could provide some insight.
After the heat transfer was completed, the center of the Red Planet became inactive long ago, eliminating the basic processes of magnetic field activity that once made Mars a much more dynamic place than a desert like Earth. We realize today
Scientists’ research suggests that other planets, such as Mars, acted faster than expected, so the Earth’s core may be on the verge of cooling.
“Yeah, I think so,” Murakami said. “However, the question is how long it will take, which is extremely difficult to predict accurately. How long the Earth will remain dynamically active will certainly be one of the biggest problems we have to solve. To take.
