| In Brief |
|
A significant scientific advancement has recently unveiled the existence of gigantic mountains buried deep beneath the Earth’s surface. These extraordinary formations, located thousands of kilometers below the Earth’s crust, surpass any known surface height, including Mount Everest. This discovery challenges our understanding of Earth’s geology and sheds new light on the internal dynamics of our planet. The implications of this finding are vast, promising to transform our perspective on underlying geological processes.
Breathtaking Mountains
The recently discovered mountains lie at an astonishing depth of 1,931 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface. Each mountain measures approximately 1,000 kilometers in height, making them over 100 times taller than Mount Everest, the best-known peak above sea level. These titanic formations are located beneath Africa and in the Pacific Ocean, known as “Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces” (LLSVPs).
The LLSVPs consist of dense, very ancient materials, possibly remnants of ancient tectonic plates. Researchers estimate that these structures have remained stable for over 4 billion years, challenging the belief that the Earth’s mantle is a constantly evolving layer. Thus, these underground mountains could serve as witnesses to a distant geological era.
Seismic Waves in Service of Discovery
This scientific breakthrough was made possible through detailed analysis of seismic waves generated by powerful earthquakes. As these waves traverse zones of varying density, they slow down, revealing the location of the LLSVPs. Seismic tomography models, based on wave velocity, have limitations, prompting researchers to develop a new global 3D attenuation model to refine their analyses.
This model allows for the exploitation of waves traveling through the Earth to better understand spherical harmonics. It has been observed that in the upper mantle, significant attenuation with reduced velocity indicates a thermal origin. In contrast, in the lower mantle, the relationship reverses. The LLSVPs, due to their antiquity and stability, stand out not only by their composition but also by their temperature, which exceeds that of their environment.
Implications for Earth’s Geology
The discovery of LLSVPs could revolutionize our understanding of the Earth’s internal structure. These stable, hot formations may provide new insights into the geological evolution of our planet. By comparing current geophysical models with laboratory viscoelastic experiments, researchers found that the circum-Pacific region is cooler with reduced grain size, while the LLSVPs are warmer with larger grains. These observations confirm the stability and durability of the LLSVPs.
Calculated viscosity values for these deep mantle provinces suggest they are distinct geological entities. This stability and antiquity could offer crucial insights into the Earth’s initial conditions and long-term evolution. The implications of this discovery are vast, ranging from understanding tectonic movements to the thermal evolution of the Earth’s mantle.
The Future of Geological Research
This discovery opens new avenues for scientists seeking to understand Earth’s geological history. The LLSVPs, due to their enigmatic nature, could provide valuable information about the internal processes that have shaped our planet over billions of years. They may also play a crucial role in studying earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, offering unprecedented insights into Earth’s internal dynamics.
By continuing to analyze these deep structures, researchers hope to uncover new leads on the chemical composition and thermal interactions of the Earth’s mantle. This research could also inspire the development of new technologies to explore the depths of our planet. What else does the underground world hold in store, and what other wonders await discovery beneath our feet?
