"The chemistry at the center of our planet has eluded scientists for centuries. But new research from Arizona State University has shone a light on these mysterious internal processes, suggesting the Earth's outer core may be more dynamic than we once thought.
Our planet consists of four distinct layers: the inner and outer core,
Between the mantle and the outer core, nearly 1,900 miles deep, exists a thin layer known as the E prime layer, which marks the boundary between the silicate rocks of the mantle and the molten metal in the Earth's core.
"For years, it has been believed that material exchange between Earth's core and mantle is small," Dan Shim, an Earth sciences professor said in a statement. "Yet, our recent high-pressure experiments reveal a different story."
"We found that when water reaches the core-mantle boundary, it reacts with silicon in the core, forming silica," Shim said. "This discovery, along with our previous observation of diamonds forming from water reacting with carbon in iron liquid under extreme pressure, points to a far more dynamic core-mantle interaction, suggesting substantial material exchange."
These findings represent an important advance in our understanding of Earth's internal processes and suggest that the global water cycle goes much deeper than was once thought." Newsweek
