The heart of the Earth hides countless secrets, and scientists are always hungry for knowledge. In a study published in Science (I link it here), a group of researchers analyzed a huge amount of seismic data from Antarctica. And he discovered material from the bottom of an ancient ocean near the Earth's core: real mountains.
From strangeness to “revelation”
The team noticed a thin and particularly dense layer, located about 3.200 kilometers deep, at the boundary between the Earth's core and mantle. Edward Garnero, co-author of the study, explains that analyzes of seismic records have revealed strange anomalies in this layer.
These anomalies, called since 2021 “ultra-low speed zones” (ULVZ), appear as mountains protruding from the core-mantle boundary. Some of these mountains are up to five times taller than Everest!
Scientists hypothesize that these ULVZs are composed of material from the ocean floor, which is much denser than the surrounding mantle. Their size could cover the entire Earth's core.
The crucial role of these mountains “at the center of the earth”
The study of these "mountains" is not a simple geological curiosity: these formations have a fundamental role in the dispersion of heat coming from the Earth's molten core.
They could also influence the formation of the present ocean floor through volcanic eruptions.
Samantha Hansen, lead author of the study and professor at the University of Alabama, points out that seismic research like this shows that the internal structure of our planet is much more complex than previously thought.
In short (Italian only)
In the processes that move our planet, the connections between the surface and the depths are crucial.
Think about that next time you stroll along the beach. You are by the sea, and at the same time higher than a very high peak. Below you, down and further down, are gigantic mountains.
