May 28, 2024 07:39 PM
(This post was last modified: May 28, 2024 07:41 PM by C C.)
Earth's mysterious D" layer: A relic of ancient oceans and planetary collisions
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1045909
INTRO: Deep within Earth, there lies a mysterious layer called the D" layer. Located roughly 3,000 kilometers down, this zone sits just above the boundary between the planet's molten outer core and its solid mantle. Unlike a perfect sphere, the D" layer is surprisingly patchy. Its thickness varies greatly from place to place, with some regions even lacking a D" layer altogether – much like continents rise above the Earth's oceans. These intriguing variations have captured the attention of geophysicists, who describe the D" layer as a heterogeneous, or non-uniform, region.
A new study led by Dr. Qingyang Hu (Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research) and Dr. Jie Deng (Princeton University) suggests the D" layer might be originated from Earth's earliest days. Their theory hinges on the Giant Impact hypothesis, which proposes a Mars-sized object slammed into the proto-Earth, creating a planet-wide magma ocean in the aftermath. They believe the D" layer may be a unique composition leftover from this colossal impact, potentially holding clues to Earth's formation... (MORE - details, no ads)
Earth scientists describe a new kind of volcanic eruption
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1045686
INTRO: No two volcanic eruptions are exactly alike, but scientists think a series of explosive eruptions at Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano fit into a whole new category.
By analyzing the dynamics of 12 back-to-back explosions that happened in 2018, researchers describe a new type of volcanic eruption mechanism. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket toy.
Researchers from the University of Oregon, United States Geological Survey and China’s Sichuan University report their findings in a paper published May 27 in Nature Geoscience.
The particular string of explosions at the summit of Kīlauea was part of a sequence of events that included lava flows erupting from lower on the flank of the volcano. Those lava flows destroyed thousands of homes and displaced residents on the Island of Hawaii for months... (MORE - details, no ads)
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE (images): https://around.uoregon.edu/earth-scienti...c-eruption
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1045909
INTRO: Deep within Earth, there lies a mysterious layer called the D" layer. Located roughly 3,000 kilometers down, this zone sits just above the boundary between the planet's molten outer core and its solid mantle. Unlike a perfect sphere, the D" layer is surprisingly patchy. Its thickness varies greatly from place to place, with some regions even lacking a D" layer altogether – much like continents rise above the Earth's oceans. These intriguing variations have captured the attention of geophysicists, who describe the D" layer as a heterogeneous, or non-uniform, region.
A new study led by Dr. Qingyang Hu (Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research) and Dr. Jie Deng (Princeton University) suggests the D" layer might be originated from Earth's earliest days. Their theory hinges on the Giant Impact hypothesis, which proposes a Mars-sized object slammed into the proto-Earth, creating a planet-wide magma ocean in the aftermath. They believe the D" layer may be a unique composition leftover from this colossal impact, potentially holding clues to Earth's formation... (MORE - details, no ads)
Earth scientists describe a new kind of volcanic eruption
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1045686
INTRO: No two volcanic eruptions are exactly alike, but scientists think a series of explosive eruptions at Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano fit into a whole new category.
By analyzing the dynamics of 12 back-to-back explosions that happened in 2018, researchers describe a new type of volcanic eruption mechanism. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket toy.
Researchers from the University of Oregon, United States Geological Survey and China’s Sichuan University report their findings in a paper published May 27 in Nature Geoscience.
The particular string of explosions at the summit of Kīlauea was part of a sequence of events that included lava flows erupting from lower on the flank of the volcano. Those lava flows destroyed thousands of homes and displaced residents on the Island of Hawaii for months... (MORE - details, no ads)
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE (images): https://around.uoregon.edu/earth-scienti...c-eruption