Geologists Claim Earth May Be Softer Around The Middle Than Previously Thought

A new geological study is suggesting that what we know about the lower mantle of the Earth may have to be reevaluated. Since we are unable to actually sample the Earth at those depths, scientists rely on the use of seismic waves to study the lower reaches of the Earth. This new study suggests that material in the lower mantle has unusual characteristics that make sound move more slowly, suggesting a softer makeup than previously thought. "What's most important for seismology is the acoustic properties--the propagation of sound. We determined the elasticity of ferropericlase through the pressure-induced high-spin to low-spin transition. We did this by measuring the velocity of acoustic waves propagating in different directions in a single crystal of the material and found that over an extended pressure range (from about 395,000 to 590,000 atmospheres) the material became 'softer'--that is, the waves slowed down more than expected from previous work. Thus, at high temperature corresponding distributions will become very broad, which will result in a wide range of depth having subtly anomalous properties that perhaps extend through most of the lower mantle."

Comments

Perhaps it should try

[Lucas123]

Jenny Craig. It worked for Pluto.

Well duh!

[Brandybuck]

Well duh! As I get older I get softer around the middle too!

Middleaged earth

[butterwise]

Softer around the middle, thinning ice sheets - sounds like somebody's getting older...

Welcome

[Capt James McCarthy]

To middle-age, Earth. Wait until things begin to get saggy and noisy all over.

Re:Creation +1, Evolution -1

[wximagery95]

Before you go trolling, at least get your there, their, and they're down. Basic grammar goes a lot way to helping your "argument".

Ouch, that's embarrassing.

The Kola Superdeep Borehole

[RipTides9x]

The Russians made 6.7km before giving up drilling not only because of the heat (180c), which could have been worked around, but mainly because any further drilling beyond that point the hole had a tendency to close up like molten soft plastic upon retraction of the drill bit.

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=567

Re:Here it comes

[macbeth66]

I like doing this to creationists, too.

Why do you like picking on the mentally challenged?

Re:Creation +1, Evolution -1

[night_flyer]

firmament
c.1250, from L. firmamentum "firmament," lit. "a support or strengthening," from firmus "firm" (see firm (adj.)), used in Vulgate to translate Gk. stereoma "firm or solid structure," which translated Heb. raqia, a word used of both the vault of the sky and the floor of the earth in the O.T., probably lit. "expanse," from raqa "to spread out," but in Syriac meaning "to make firm or solid," hence the erroneous translation.