A team of scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery that could fundamentally change our understanding of Earth’s interior. Using advanced seismic imaging techniques, they have identified enigmatic structures deep within the planet’s mantle, which defy existing geological theories. Dubbed “sunken worlds,” these anomalies appear in regions where no known tectonic activity could have deposited them.
The findings were made possible by full-waveform inversion, a cutting-edge method that creates high-resolution 3D models of Earth’s interior. This technique allowed researchers to observe previously undetectable structures lurking deep within the Earth. The imaging revealed “blobs” or “slabs” of material, buried far below the surface and scattered throughout the mantle.
These anomalies interact with seismic waves in unusual ways, creating variations in wave speeds that suggest differences in their composition compared to surrounding mantle material. To understand these phenomena, researchers must calculate the different material parameters that could generate the observed speeds of the different wave types.
The newly discovered structures raise significant questions about Earth’s early history and unknown processes operating in its mantle. Hypotheses include ancient crust fragments, recycled slabs, or unique mantle formations created under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. The anomalies’ locations, far from active tectonic zones, challenge traditional views that mantle features are primarily shaped by plate boundaries.
To uncover the true nature of these anomalies, researchers will need to refine their models further and conduct detailed analyses of their material properties. This requires studying how seismic waves interact with various compositions under extreme conditions. By doing so, scientists hope to identify the anomalies’ composition and origin, determining whether they are relics of Earth’s early formation or active participants in ongoing mantle processes.
The discovery has profound implications for geology and planetary science, potentially revealing new insights into Earth’s history, differentiation, and internal dynamics. Understanding these anomalies could refine models of mantle convection, plate tectonics, volcanic activity, and the planet’s magnetic field.
Source: https://indiandefencereview.com/mysterious-sunken-worlds-in-earths-mantle