SPACE — Scientists may have discovered the cause of the mysterious crystal-forming layer that surrounds the Earth’s core. They suspect the culprit is leaking water, which drips from the Earth’s surface and reacts with our planet’s metallic heart.
The mysterious layer was first discovered by geologists in the 1990s. That thin layer surrounds Earth’s outer core, a swirling sea of liquid metal surrounding the solid inner core.
The layer, which is then called E-prime or E’ layer, is more than 100 kilometers thick and is around 2,900 km below the earth’s surface. This thickness figure is relatively thin compared to other parts of the Earth’s interior.
Scientists previously theorized that the E’ layer was left behind by ancient magma rich in iron. Another theory states that it leaked out of the inner core or was formed when the Earth collided with a protoplanet which caused the birth of the moon, leaving chunks of rock inside the Earth. But none of these ideas was widely accepted.
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Well, this new research is a bit different. Published in the journal Nature Geoscience on November 13, 2023, the researchers found that the E’ layer was most likely created by water leaking from the earth’s surface. The water drips through tectonic plates that dive towards each other, then reacts with the metallic surface of the Earth’s outer core.
Silica crystals are forced out of the molten metal when water reaches the outer core. Image: Dan Shim/ASU
If the new findings are correct, it means that the E’ layer has produced large amounts of silica crystals as a byproduct of the reaction. The crystals are then inserted into the mantle, which is a massive layer of magma that is between the outer core and the outer crust of the Earth.
The researchers conducted a series of laboratory experiments to simulate how water might react with the outer core under intense pressure. The results showed that hydrogen from the water replaced the silica in the molten metal, forcing the silica out of the metal in crystalline form.
Therefore, the E’ layer is most likely a hydrogen-rich, silica-deficient outer core layer. This conclusion contradicts previous assumptions about the composition of the E’ layer.
Researchers believe it may have taken more than 1 billion years for the E’ layer to reach its current thickness. This means that the layer may be older than the inner core, which solidified about 1 billion years ago.
Also Read: How Much Water Is On Earth?
The new findings are another sign that our understanding of the Earth is still incomplete, especially how the Earth’s outer core and mantle interact with each other.
In September 2022, the same research team also discovered that the water leak may have reacted with large carbon reserves in the Earth’s outer core. The reaction then created a giant diamond factory near the boundary of Earth’s core and mantle.
2024-03-16 13:53:00
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