Scientists have discovered that two large structures in the Earth's mantle, situated beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean, might be significantly older than once thought. Known as low-shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs), these superplumes affect sound wave propagation through their hot material. As researchers study how these structures influence seismic waves, they aim to understand whether they are temporary or have existed for millions or even billions of years, thus impacting our comprehension of Earth's geological history and processes.
When there is a big earthquake, the whole Earth will expand and contract like a bell; Earth becomes a musical instrument.
Nobody knew what they are, and whether they are only a temporary phenomenon, or if they have been sitting there for millions or perhaps even billions of years.
These two large islands are surrounded by a graveyard of tectonic plates which have been transported there by a process called 'subduction,' where one tectonic plate dives below another.
Because the LLSVPs are hot, sound waves that are emitted by the Earth's moving interior slow down when they travel across them.
Collection
[
|
...
]