If subduction carries hydrous minerals deep into Earth’s mantle, they may “rust” the iron outer core, forming vast sinks of oxygen that can later be returned to the atmosphere.
Earth’s interior
Posted inNews
Hot Springs Suggest How the Tibetan Plateau Became the Roof of the World
Helium isotopes found in water samples provide a snapshot of what lies beneath the plateau and stimulate debate within the geosciences community.
Posted inNews
How a Newly Discovered Mineral Might Explain Weird Mantle Behavior
Scientists not only synthesized davemaoite but deformed it at lower mantle conditions. They found its strength and viscosity to be substantially lower than those of other minerals that make up the lower mantle.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
New Results Deepen the Mystery of Earth’s Early Magnetic Field
How was Earth’s early magnetic field produced? New experimental results and modeling show that the energy source could not have come from exsolution of lithophile elements from the core.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Transient Mantle Flow Triggers Morphotectonic Activity in Asia
Changes in mantle dynamics following the Australian collision in southeast Asia triggered fast and intense morphotectonic activity at the surface.
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The Goldilocks Zone May Be Just Right for Migrating Metals
Researchers identified a gateway that allows metals critical for renewable energy technologies, like copper and gold, to make their way to the surface.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Potential of Leaking Modes to Reveal Underground Structure
Instead of waiting for earthquake waves to tell scientists about the structure of Earth’s interior, scientists can now use ambient noise from humans to “see” underground.
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Layered Zone Beneath Coral Sea Suggests Ancient Magma Ocean
Scientists studying South Pacific earthquakes suggest that an ultralow-velocity zone at the core-mantle boundary may be a remnant of a molten early Earth.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Mountains Sway to the Seismic Song of Earth
The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps is in constant motion, gently swaying back and forth about once every 2 seconds.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Recovering Mantle Memories from River Profiles
Researchers use a closed-loop modeling strategy to validate regional uplift patterns recorded in river profiles across the African continent.