By analyzing how earthquake waves propagate from an epicenter, scientists can deduce the density and elasticity of the rocky material the waves travel through.
The signs of submerged plates were found in areas not previously known for geological activity, such as plate subduction, which occurs when an oceanic plate slides beneath a continental plate.
The leftover pieces found under the Pacific Ocean surprised scientists as existing models have determined that there shouldn't be any such material in the area due to the lack of plate subduction.
Apparently, such zones in the Earth's mantle are much more widespread than previously thought," said first author and ETH Zurich doctoral student Thomas Schouten.
Collection
[
|
...
]