All articles tagged with #outer core
Using seismic data from underground nuclear tests (1977–1995), the study shows Earth's outer core is not a uniform liquid but dynamically mixed, with a newly identified PKrKP wave exposing a large, suspended-solid anomaly that hints at vigorous outer-core flow and potential implications for the planet’s magnetic field.
A broad region of liquid iron beneath the equatorial Pacific flipped from westward to eastward flow around 2010, revealing the outer core can change circulation more abruptly than previously thought. Using nearly 30 years of data from ground observatories plus ESA Swarm, CryoSat, CHAMP and Ørsted satellites, researchers traced how this flow reversal reshapes our view of the geodynamo and Earth's magnetic field. The finding raises questions about core–mantle–inner-core interactions and whether such reversals are temporary fluctuations or part of a longer cycle, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring.
A section of Earth's molten outer core reversed its eastward flow in 2010, according to satellite measurements of the magnetic field reported by ScienceAlert; the finding suggests the planet's interior is more dynamic than previously thought and that bulk-flow changes can occur, though scientists are still investigating the cause and implications for the geodynamo.
A study using satellite data from Swarm, CryoSat, CHAMP and Ørsted shows a broad region of iron-rich fluid in Earth's outer core beneath the equatorial Pacific reversed its flow from westward to eastward in 2010, challenging the view of steady westward drift and prompting questions about the core's dynamics and its link to geomagnetic changes. Ongoing monitoring will determine whether this is a short-term wobble, part of a cycle, or a new stable state; while not dangerous itself, such deep interior shifts can influence Earth's magnetic field and technology that relies on it.
Satellite data from 1997–2025 show a portion of Earth's outer core beneath the Pacific reversed its flow from westward to eastward between 2010 and 2012, strengthening through 2020 before weakening again and accounting for about 5% of the outer-core surface flow. This hints that the deep interior is more dynamic than previously thought and may be linked to later geomagnetic jerks; improving our understanding of the geodynamo helps forecast the magnetic field and space weather.