Geophysics News - SciTechDaily

Deep Earth Discovery: Fragments of Ancient Planet Found in Mantle

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 00:30:40 +0000

Scientists have found that Earth’s deep mantle may hold pieces of the ancient planet Theia, offering new insights into the Moon’s origin and Earth’s formative...

Life on Venus? Tectonic Clues Point to a Habitable Past

Brown University — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 23:40:30 +0000

Simulations produced by a Brown-led research team offer evidence that Venus once had plate tectonics — a finding that opens the door for the possibility...

Humans Have Increased the Concentration of Potentially Toxic Mercury in the Atmosphere by 7x

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 23:16:18 +0000

Research establishes a natural baseline for mercury in the atmosphere by estimating emissions from volcanic eruptions. New research from the Harvard John A. Paulson School...

Continental Clash: The India–Asia Collision and the Rise of the Himalayas

China University of Geosciences — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 11:26:51 +0000

Compelling new evidence resolves discrepant interpretations and supports the large size of Greater India. Hundreds of millions of years ago, the surface of the Earth...

Violent Eruption: Mystery of Volcanic Tsunami Solved After 373 Years

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 08:25:00 +0000

GEOMAR researchers reconstruct historic volcanic eruption using 3D seismics. The explosion of the underwater volcano Kolumbo in the Aegean Sea in 1650 triggered a destructive...

Red-Hot Secrets: Scientists Discover Molten Layer Covering Martian Core

University of Maryland — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 05:02:49 +0000

New NASA InSight research reveals a liquid silicate ‘blanket’ wrapped around Mars’ core, leading to new clues about the planet’s evolutionary history and the loss...

Earth’s Hidden Guests: Strange Blobs in Deep Mantle Are the Remains of an Ancient Planet

California Institute of Technology — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 02:51:12 +0000

A Caltech-led study suggests that two massive, iron-rich structures deep within Earth’s mantle are the remains of Theia, an ancient planet that collided with Earth,...

Permafrost Apocalypse: 93% Could Vanish by 2100, Warns Global Study

University of Alaska Fairbanks — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 10:34:26 +0000

Most of Earth’s near-surface permafrost could disappear by 2100, according to an international group of scientists. This prediction was made after analyzing current climate patterns...

Mars’ Seismic Secrets: Decoding the Red Planet’s Core Mystery

ETH Zurich — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:39:12 +0000

Mars’s liquid iron core is smaller and denser than previously thought. Not only is it smaller, but it is also surrounded by a layer of...

Hidden Martian Secrets: NASA’s InSight Lander Uncovers Mars’ Molten Mystery

Paris Institute of Globe Physics — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:00:31 +0000

Recent data challenges initial NASA InSight Mars Lander mission findings about Mars’ internal structure. Researchers have discovered a molten silicate layer at the Martian mantle’s...

Seismic Shock: Unraveling the Mystery of Mightiest-Ever Mars Quake

University of Oxford — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 08:34:16 +0000

A global collaboration led by the University of Oxford has determined that the largest-ever seismic event on Mars, known as S1222a, was not caused by...

Sonic Signatures: How MIT Geologists Are Mapping Earth’s Hidden Layers

Jennifer Chu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 02:44:02 +0000

MIT scientists find the sounds beneath our feet are fingerprints of rock stability. If you could sink through the Earth’s crust, you might hear, with...

Shaking Up Predictions: Deep Learning Revolutionizes Earthquake Forecasts

University of California - Santa Cruz — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:23:12 +0000

Researchers have developed a deep learning model, RECAST, that outperforms traditional methods in predicting earthquake aftershocks, especially with larger datasets. This advancement promises improved earthquake...

Rapid “Collective Motion” of Iron Atoms Discovered in Earth’s Solid Inner Core

University of Texas at Austin — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:11:56 +0000

A new study discovered rapid “collective motion” of iron atoms in Earth’s inner core. This movement may explain the core’s unexpected softness in seismic data...

800-Year-Old Math Trick Could Help With Navigating the Moon

Eötvös Loránd University — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:22:45 +0000

Navigation systems suitable for lunar surface exploration to chart future expeditions. Kamilla Cziráki, a geophysics student from the Faculty of Science at Eötvös Loránd University...

Scientists Discover Source of Mysterious Earth Tremors

University of California - Riverside — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 02:06:38 +0000

New research has confirmed that fracking is responsible for the previously unexplained slow, small earthquakes or tremors. The tremors are produced by the same processes...

From Core to Crust: The Significance of Magma’s Oxidation in Earth’s Formation

Ehime University — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:19:53 +0000

How has the atmosphere and mantle oxidation state of the Earth changed? The connection between a planet’s interior and its surface plays a pivotal role...

Redefining Earth’s Core: Synchrotron Reveals Hidden Light Material

RIKEN — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:02:42 +0000

Researchers unveil a more accurate pressure scale using advanced x-rays, revealing Earth’s inner core has twice the light material previously estimated. Their methodology provides an...

Deciphering Volcanic Secrets: A Groundbreaking New Method To Predict Eruptions

University of Geneva — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 03:33:59 +0000

A team from UNIGE has identified three easily measurable parameters that offer insights into the structural characteristics of volcanoes, marking progress in the area of...

Scientists Uncover Source of Unusual Deformation in Earth’s Largest Continental Rift

Virginia Tech — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:40:51 +0000

Computer simulations confirm that the African Superplume causes the unusual deformations and rift-parallel seismic anisotropy detected below the East African Rift System. Continental rifting involves...

Could Global Warming Silence Yellowstone’s Iconic Geysers?

American Geophysical Union — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 16:43:36 +0000

Steamboat Geyser’s spray slowly fossilizes the trees it lands on – preserving the geyser’s past and providing a glimpse into Steamboat’s uncertain future. A recent...

Planet Resurfacing: Venus Volcanism Could Have Been Fueled by Ancient, High-Energy Impacts

Southwest Research Institute — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:48:56 +0000

Models show Venus’ superheated core could produce extended volcanism and long-lived resurfacing. A Southwest Research Institute-led team has modeled the early impact history of Venus...

The Unseen Spark: How Ancient Microorganisms Helped Cause Massive Volcanic Events

Rice University — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 22:38:02 +0000

New research suggests that ancient microorganisms helped cause massive volcanic events. Banded iron formations, sedimentary rocks with stunning strata of burnt orange, yellow, silver, brown,...

Seismic Enigma: Scientists Shed New Light on “Segment-Jumping” Ridgecrest Earthquakes

University of California - San Diego — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 23:51:16 +0000

Scientists use a supercomputer to unveil the intricate dynamics of multi-fault earthquake systems. In the early hours of July 4, 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake...