Scientists Discover Water Slowly Leaking Down to Earth’s Core, Forming New Surface
In a groundbreaking study, scientists at Arizona State University have made a significant discovery about the inner workings of our planet. It has been revealed that water is slowly making its way down to the Earth’s core from the surface, triggering a chemical reaction and forming a new layer between the molten metal of the outer core and the outer mantle.
The journey of the water is not a simple one. It drips down descending tectonic plates, eventually reaching the core after a 2,900 kilometre journey. The process, though slow, has over billions of years created a new surface that is “a few hundred kilometres thick”, according to the researchers.
Dr. Dan Shim, co-author of the study, explained, “We found that when water reaches the core-mantle boundary, it reacts with silicon in the core, forming silica. This discovery, along with our previous observation of diamonds forming from water reacting with carbon in iron liquid under extreme pressure, points to a far more dynamic core-mantle interaction, suggesting substantial material exchange.”
The implications of this discovery are far-reaching. It has been suggested that the altered ‘film’ of the core has profound implications for the geochemical cycles that connect the surface-water cycle with the deep metallic core. The findings also advance our understanding of Earth’s internal processes, suggesting a more extensive global water cycle than previously recognized.
This new understanding of the Earth’s inner processes could have far-reaching implications for the planet and all its inhabitants. It opens up new possibilities for research and understanding the dynamics of the Earth’s core-mantle interaction in relation to the global water cycle.
This discovery sheds light on the complex and dynamic nature of our planet and points to the need for further research and exploration of the Earth’s inner workings.