All articles tagged with #earths crust
Recent geophysical studies reveal that the Suez Rift, previously considered inactive, is still slowly and persistently stretching, challenging traditional models of rift evolution and highlighting ongoing tectonic processes that could impact regional infrastructure and resource management.
A study in Nature Communications reveals that Earth's oldest rocks, dating back 3.7 billion years, suggest that continental crust formation occurred much later than previously thought, around 3.5 billion years ago, and support the theory that Earth and the Moon share a common origin from the same primordial material, reinforcing the Giant Impact Hypothesis.
Scientists analyzing 3.7-billion-year-old rocks from Western Australia found chemical signatures supporting the giant impact theory of the moon's formation, revealing insights into Earth's early crust and its connection to lunar origins.
Scientists have mapped a deep tear forming beneath the seafloor off Vancouver Island in the Nootka Fault Zone, indicating a potential end to subduction in that region, which could alter seismic activity and the geological landscape of the Cascadia margin.
New analysis of the Cascadia subduction zone reveals that one of the tectonic plates is tearing itself apart, indicating a gradual end to this subduction process, which is part of Earth's natural geological cycle. Using seismic imaging, scientists observed faults and fractures suggesting the plate is slowly breaking into smaller microplates, akin to a train derailing gradually, rather than a sudden catastrophe.
Recent research suggests that Earth's geological history may be influenced by the Solar System's passage through the Milky Way's spiral arms, with zircon crystals serving as a record of these cosmic interactions and their impact on Earth's crust and potential asteroid impacts.
Recent research suggests that Earth's geological history, recorded in zircon crystals, may be influenced by the Solar System's passage through the Milky Way's spiral arms, with correlations found between galactic hydrogen density and crustal disruptions, indicating a potential cosmic impact on planetary evolution.
Karen Lloyd studies microbes living deep beneath the Earth's surface, revealing their extraordinary survival capabilities, including living for hundreds of thousands to millions of years, which expands our understanding of life's limits and resilience in extreme environments.
A new study suggests that subduction and continental crust formation on Earth began hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously believed, during the Hadean Eon, indicating a more active early Earth than traditionally thought.
Scientists have discovered a hot rock anomaly beneath the Appalachian Mountains, called the Northern Appalachian Anomaly, which formed around 80 million years ago and is slowly moving towards New York, potentially influencing the region's geological features and mountain uplift over millions of years.
Humans have mined approximately 206,000 to 238,000 tons of gold, with significant reserves still available in Earth's crust, but most of the planet's gold is in the core, making the total amount much larger and largely inaccessible.
China is drilling a deep borehole, Shenditake 1, in the Taklamakan Desert, aiming to reach 36,418 feet into the Earth's crust to study its internal structure and evolution. The project, led by China National Petroleum Corporation, has already reached over 32,808 feet in just 10 months, despite challenging conditions like high temperatures and pressure. This effort is part of a broader geoscience research initiative, contrasting with Russia's Kola Superdeep Borehole, which took 19 years to reach a greater depth.
Scientists have discovered that a large chunk of the Earth's crust, missing from the geological record and known as "The Great Unconformity," was likely eroded by glaciers during the "Snowball Earth" period. This severe glacial erosion stripped away 3-5 kilometers of rock, which was then washed out to sea, explaining the sharp age changes in rocks observed globally.
Scientists have discovered that a large missing chunk of the Earth's crust, known as "The Great Unconformity," was likely eroded by glaciers during the "Snowball Earth" period, resulting in a significant gap in the geological record. This erosion stripped away 3-5 kilometers of rock, which was then washed out to sea.
Researchers studying zircon crystals in river sand and rocks in Finland have discovered a hidden chunk of Earth's crust that originated in Greenland and played a crucial role in the formation of Scandinavia. The crystals, dating back 3.75 billion years, provide insights into the formation and growth of the oldest parts of the continental crust, shedding light on the birth of continents and their influence on Earth's habitability. This discovery may help understand how other landmasses on Earth formed and spread across the planet.