A new scientific theory reveals that Our Earth’s inner is in a supersonic mode right now. Till now scientists thought that our earth’s inner core would be in solid mode. Extreme temperature and pressure are found there.
Recently joint research by Prof. HE YU from the institute of Geochemistry and Chinness Academy of Science(IGCAS) has found out that the inner core of our earth is not normal solid but is composed of solid iron sublattice and liquid-like light elements(source-SciTech daily). This state is known as the supersonic state in science.
The study was published in Nature Journal on February 07, 2022. According to science, a Supersonic state is a state in which the compressible plasma turbulence determines the behavior of many terrestrial and astrophysical systems.
Due to the extreme temperature and pressure there, scientists thought that the components there behave in a solid state. It is said that there’s temperature is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit like the surface of the sun. Earth’s inner core is the innermost geologic layer. Scientists believe that the inner core structure would be homogeneous. Some also believe that the inner core might be a single crystal of Iron. The age of the inner core is obviously related to the history of the earth. Before this theory, some scientists believe that the inner core is made of Iron-Nikol alloy and would be in a solid-state.
However, the research shows us that in the earth’s inner core iron alloys and light elements become disordered and defuse which is a supersonic state. Researchers have used quantum mechanics and studied earthquake data to explain how atoms behave there. According to them, the iron behaves solid while the other light components behave in liquid form. The earth’s inner core is made of Oxygen, Carbon, and Hydrogen.
Professor He Yo said in his statement, ” it is quite abnormal”. He also added, “The solidification of Iron at the Inner Core boundary does not change the mobility of these light elements, and the convection of light elements is continuous in the inner core.”(source- the U.S.A Today interview).
Previous experiments have found that ice water can go in supersonic mode due to some situations that were found in Neptune and Uranus.
Our earth is made of seven layers named Crust, Mantel, Core, Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, Outer Core, and Inner Core. The inner core is very mysterious according to scientists.
The new research still is not enough to explain the whole situation of Inner Core. The researchers analyzed seismic waves during earthquakes. They created the same model in the lab mirroring the earthquake and extreme temperature. After that, they came to the theory that the earth’s inner core is in supersonic mode.
This new research also raises the question, “why earth’s inner core is in a supersonic state?”
Scientists believe that more research is needed to understand the inner core properly. Until then the inner core is still very mysterious for us.
For more interesting updates, visit geeksultd