All articles tagged with #geophysics
A viral simulation by TikTok creator Lunar Cheeseee illustrates the devastating effects if Earth’s rotation gradually stopped. The animation shows that objects and people would continue moving east due to inertia, causing widespread destruction. While no known mechanism could stop Earth’s spin, the scenario highlights the lethal force of momentum at varying latitudes.
A new study in Nature identifies gravitational, electromagnetic, and topographic coupling between Earth's inner core and mantle as the primary drivers of multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that gravitational torque from the inner core primarily influences these shifts, while the other two mechanisms act as buffers. These deep interior interactions have altered the day's length by several milliseconds between the early 1970s and 2021, offering new constraints on the physical properties of Earth's deep layers.
A new study in Science identifies four intervals of rapid true polar wander in the last 320 million years, challenging the view that Earth's solid exterior has only shifted slowly. Led by Mathew Domeier at the University of Oslo, the research uses ancient sea-level changes rather than magnetic data to detect these events. The strongest signals occurred during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, suggesting the planet’s crust and mantle reoriented rapidly relative to its spin axis, potentially altering global climate and habitats.
A new study in JGR Solid Earth suggests that gravitational tides from the Sun and Moon can trigger slow earthquakes through a resonance mechanism. Although these tidal stresses are minimal, comparable to a gentle hand press, they can nudge unstable fault lines into slipping when their timing matches the fault's natural response. This research provides a framework for understanding how minor forces can lead to significant seismic events, potentially aiding in the prediction of larger earthquakes.
Researchers used the Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories to test if early Earth retained water during its molten phase, challenging the theory that all surface water arrived later via comets.
A new study confirms the Moon possessed a magnetic field 4.2 billion years ago by analyzing a buried volcanic complex on its far side. Researchers combined gravity and magnetic data from orbital probes to identify a dense, magnetized rock body, resolving a long-standing debate about the lunar dynamo.
New research published in JGR Solid Earth proposes that gravitational tides from the Sun and Moon trigger slow earthquakes through a resonance mechanism. Although tidal stresses are minimal, comparable to a gentle hand press, they can nudge unstable fault lines into slipping. The study suggests that when tidal perturbation periods match a fault's natural response timescale, the resulting resonance amplifies slip, potentially leading to both slow and fast seismic events. This framework helps explain observed tremors in regions like southwest Japan and Cascadia, which often peak at 12- or 24-hour intervals. While the model focuses on single fault patches, it offers a method to reverse-engineer fault properties from seismic data, aiding in the assessment of megathrust earthquake risks.
A new study published in Nature identifies gravitational torque from Earth's inner core as the primary driver of multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that this gravitational influence competes with electromagnetic and topographic forces at the core-mantle boundary, which act as resisting mechanisms. These deep interior interactions have altered the day's length by several milliseconds between 1964 and 2019, providing new constraints on the physical properties of Earth's deep layers, including the viscosity of the inner core and the conductivity of the lowermost mantle.
A new study in Nature identifies gravitational torque between Earth's inner core and mantle as the primary driver of multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that this gravitational influence competes with electromagnetic and topographic coupling, which act as buffers. These deep interior interactions have altered the day's length by several milliseconds between the early 1970s and 2021, providing new constraints on the physical properties of Earth's deep layers.
A new study in Nature Geoscience details how the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption caused a rapid, piston-style collapse of its submarine caldera, displacing 8.9 cubic kilometers of material. This sudden subsidence, which occurred during the eruption, is linked to the generation of an extreme tsunami and the severing of underwater cables, highlighting the hidden hazards of small underwater volcanoes.
A new study published in Nature identifies gravitational torque between Earth's inner core and mantle as the primary driver of multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that this gravitational influence competes with electromagnetic and topographic coupling, which act as buffers. These deep interior interactions have altered the day's length by several milliseconds between the early 1970s and 2021, providing new constraints on the physical properties of Earth's deep layers.
A new study in Nature identifies gravitational torque between Earth's inner core and mantle as the primary driver of multidecadal changes in the length of day (LOD). While electromagnetic and topographic forces at the core-mantle boundary act as resisting mechanisms, the gravitational influence dominates. This finding provides new constraints on the physical properties of Earth's deep interior, including the viscosity of the inner core and the conductivity of the lowermost mantle.
A new study in Nature reveals that gravitational forces between Earth's inner core and mantle are the primary driver of small, multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that this gravitational torque competes with electromagnetic and mechanical forces, creating a balance that subtly alters planetary rotation by milliseconds over decades.
A new study in Nature identifies gravitational, electromagnetic, and topographic coupling between Earth’s inner core and mantle as the primary drivers of multidecadal changes in the length of a day. Researchers Huifeng Zhang and Mathieu Dumberry found that gravitational torque from the inner core primarily influences these shifts, while the other two mechanisms act as buffers. These deep interior interactions have altered the day’s length by several milliseconds between the early 1970s and 2021, offering new constraints on the physical properties of Earth’s deep layers.
Researchers have identified that mysterious linear trenches across Australia's Nullarbor Plain are not river channels but surface expressions of deep, collapsing cave systems. Led by Matej Lipar, the study utilized electrical resistivity tomography and digital modeling to prove these shallow depressions sit atop extensive underground cavities. The findings challenge previous hydrological assumptions and provide a diagnostic method for identifying similar hidden structures on Mars and other planets.