Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery beneath the Pacific Ocean, uncovering anomalies in the Earth’s mantle that challenge existing geological theories. Using advanced seismic imaging, a team of geologists from ETH Zurich and the California Institute of Technology identified ancient tectonic plate-like zones far removed from subduction boundaries.
The discovery suggests that ancient remnants of tectonic processes may be scattered across the mantle, offering clues about the planet’s early history. A high-resolution model created using full-waveform inversion revealed zones resembling ancient tectonic plates in areas where no subduction processes occur.
Lead author Thomas Schouten notes that these anomalies are much more widespread than previously thought and could represent some of the oldest surviving remnants of the planet’s mantle. The precise nature of these materials remains a mystery, with possible origins including ancient silica-rich material or iron-rich rock accumulations formed through billions of years of mantle convection.
The discovery highlights the importance of advanced imaging technologies in reshaping our understanding of Earth’s internal dynamics. However, even sophisticated methods have limitations, and researchers must develop more advanced computational models to fully interpret these anomalies.
This finding is akin to a medical breakthrough, where improved tools reveal new features that defy expectations. The transformational nature of this discovery opens new avenues for research into Earth’s early history and the processes shaping its mantle over billions of years.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/01/geologists-discover-tectonic-plate-pacific