Earth’s inner core is changing shape, scientists say

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Scientists who just confirmed a month ago that the Earth’s inner core recently reversed its spin, a new revelation about the deep secrets of our planet – in the form of an internal cover Identified changes.

The inner layer of the earth is a hot, solid ball of metal, surrounded by the outer cover of the liquid metal. For decades, planet scientists suspect that solid internal core has worsened over time. Now, researchers have found the first evidence of changes in the last 20 years in the form of an internal core. The earthquake waves revealed symbols of the deformation of the core, which were strong enough to reach the center of the earth.

The investigating team used the same earthquake data to study 2024 to resolve the long -standing debate on the internal core circulation. They found that the inner core is once faster than the ground. But from around 2010, the solid internal core spin slows down. This is now Wander backwardsCompared to the rest of the planet

His new research, published in the Journal on Monday Nature Geo ScienceThis discovery is used using earthquake data collected from 1991 to 2023. The first work on the basic rotation of the scientists helped them translate the height of the earthquake waves, and described them as a signal of changes in the surface of the internal core. John Woodel, a partner of a previous study and the main author of a new study.

“We can compare the gestures we see when the inner core is returned to the same position as it was at another time and could see what there are differences that cannot be explained by the rotation,” The Earth Sciences Professor of Earth Sciences in Woodel, Dean, told CNN the University of Southern California’s Dornsif College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. According to the researchers, the changes in the form of shape can lead to climate about the deep powers under the Earth who strengthen our magnetic sector, the hidden lines of magnetic energy that our planet with solar weather and life -threatening radiation. Save.

“The earth is prepared on the geological time scale, so it is always interesting to observe changes on the annual time scale, as it increases our understanding of internal basic dynamics.” Dr. Yoshi MiazakiAn Associate Professor in the Science of Earth and Planets at Rotors University in New Jersey.

“Previous studies have already discussed how internal basic circulation has changed over the past decade, and this study added another dimension to a new context-non-rotating changes. I believe that this will further strengthen these debates.

Of all the layers of the earth, the internal basic is the most remote and mysterious. This solid circle of iron and nickel is about 70 % in the size of the moon, with a radius about 75 759 miles (1,221 km).

The temperature in the inner core exceeds 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit (5,400 degrees Celsius), and the pressure can reach 365 gig pastel (GPA) – which exceeds 3 million times more than The average environmental pressure of the land Although direct observation of the basic on Earth is impossible, scientists analyze the changes in the size and shape of the earthquake waves and study it when they go through the basic.

Earthquakes give rise to two types of waves. Primary waves, or p waves, are the first waves that are manufactured by the earthquake, and move the earth to the same direction whose wave is in motion. The scanch waves, or the waves, are slow through the wa waves and move the earth in the direction of the wave.

According to the new research, a type of primary interior PKIKP changes the dimensions in the PKIKP waves. In this extent, where the solid internal core matches the exterior core liquid, the surface of the circle can be far more faulty than the deep level.

“It is almost a science fiction to imagine what is happening at the surface of the internal core,” said Woodel. “This is a place that is very different from our daily life, which has different time scales, different materials and incredible forces. And still, we can go down and just do some of the latest observations. You can find out more about.

Movement ‘Like Land Sliding’

Scientists analyzed 168 pairing waves at 42 locations near the southern Sandwich Island, a series of volcanic islands in the southern Atlantic. The core’s rotation speed and direction tracking found the researchers found a way to detect the changes in the shape of the core. Once they knew the speed of the core, they could model its position and then compare different PKIKP waves that reached the core at the same place.

According to the study, the dimensions in these pairing waves can then be assigned to create changes in the core rather than rotation changes. However, the internal core may look like a defect.

“Maybe the tipography is going up and down. It may be roaming like a land sliding,” Woodel said. “The most likely thing is that the outer core is just pushing the inner part and rotating it a bit.”

According to researchers, although only one internal main location has shown deformation between 2004 and 2008, it may be more that could not be detected.

“It’s hard to know if we are seeing an unusual or ordinary place,” said Woodel. “But one estimate would be that in many places there is some deformation.”

As the solid inner cover of the earth rotates, the melted outer core rotates. Their conversation produces magnetic energy, which is ready to prepare our planet in magnetic spare. But the liquid is shrinking outer cover. Through millimeters, the inner core has surrounded the metal molten by the liquid cover around it. It takes billions of years to cool and stabilize the internal core, and in the next few billion years, the internal core will continue to cool the liquid metal drops from the outer core, even the entire land core is a solid metal circle – , He added.

“It will kill the magnetic field,” said Woodel. “Now there will be no ironed iron.”

However, such an event is billions of years in our future. Woodel said, and before that, the earth will be removed because our sun spreads to the red giant and swallowed the inner planets of the solar system. Until then, scientists should have a lot of time to investigate the work that is not visible in the heart of our planet, and it should be known what the earth’s internal spinning, shading and changing shape. Planet

“About the effects on life, as mentioned in the introduction of the dissertation, the internal primary growth plays an important role in creating the magnetic field of the earth, which we are from harmful solar radiation. Saves. “ “Although the direct relationship between the Earth’s level and the ICB (internal auto -core limit) remains away, what happens in the ICB still has some implications for long -term evolution of the earth.”

Mandy Weisberger is a science author and media producer whose work has been directly published in science, scientific American and IT magazine.

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