A team from the University of Cambridge has created the first-ever detailed map of the mysterious layer of rocks forming the boundary between the Earth's core and the mantle.
It's a scientific breakthrough that could give us a glimpse of what's beneath the surface, and maybe even an answer as to why some areas, like the rock found deep below the Hawaiian islands, cause earthquake waves.
Of all Earth's deep interior features, these are the most fascinating and complex, according to the lead author of a new paper.
The first solid evidence to show their internal structure is a real milestone in deep earth seismology.
Researchers use earthquakes to study the Earth's interior. These signals can be hard to interpret.
Thanks to cutting-edge computer modeling, Li and colleagues were able to uncover kilometer-scale structures at the boundary between our planet's core and mantle.
They found that the speed of waves slowed by 40 percent, which supports theories that the area is more dense and sluggish than surrounding areas.
It is possible that this iron-rich material is a remnant of ancient rocks from Earth's early history or even that iron might be leaking from the core, according to project lead Sanne.
The volcanic activity on the surface in areas like the Hawaiian islands could be explained by the iron-rich regions.
Our planet's interior is full of surprises and much more variable than we thought.
The team is looking to get a better look at other core-mantle pockets of rock and uncover new clues about our planet's evolution.
Puzzling features deep in Earth's interior illuminated by high resolution images.
Scientists have discovered strange signals coming from the Earth's core.
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