logo
Sunken Continents Near Earth's Core Could Unbalance Our Magnetic Field

Sunken Continents Near Earth's Core Could Unbalance Our Magnetic Field

Yahoo05-03-2025

Continent-sized structures of mineral protruding from the lower mantle towards Earth's outer core may be contributing to an instability of our planet's magnetic field.
The two odd formations – one under the Pacific and the other beneath Africa – resemble each other in terms of seismic waves, so were assumed to have the same composition.
Cardiff University geodynamicist James Panton and colleagues have now concluded otherwise, determining the two regions are made of different materials and have different histories. If true, it could affect heat flow and convection deep within our planet in ways that could influence the way Earth generates its magnetosphere.
Up to 900 kilometers (560 miles) high and thousands of kilometers wide, the two "large low-velocity provinces" have puzzled scientists since they were revealed by seismic data in the 1980s. Research has since suggested they're at least, in part, composed of former oceanic crust.
"It is … fascinating to see the links between the movements of plates on the Earth's surface and structures 3000 kilometers deep in our planet," says University of Oxford seismologist Paula Koelemeijer.
Millions of years of natural crust cycling mixed what was once Earth's surface deep into the mantle. The resulting composition now covers up to 30 percent of the core, slowing the seismic waves geologists use to probe Earth's inner structure.
"Our models of mantle circulation over the past billion years demonstrate that large low-velocity provinces can naturally develop as a consequence of recycling oceanic crust," write Panton and team, arguing against competing theories that the anomalies arose from the collision with Earth some 4.5 billion years ago that led to the Moon's formation.
The Pacific structure appears to have 50 percent more fresh oceanic crust mixed through it than the African province, the researchers found. That makes for a greater difference in composition between the Pacific province and the surrounding mantle, not to mention a notable difference in its density.
"We find the Pacific large-low-velocity province to be enriched in subducted oceanic crust, implying that Earth's recent subduction history is driving this difference," says Panton.
The notoriously active Pacific Ring of Fire has consistently replenished the crust material, the team suspects.
In contrast, the region around the African structure is not as geologically active, so the older crust it contains has been more thoroughly mixed in, making this structure less dense.
"The fact that these two large low-velocity provinces differ in composition, but not in temperature is key to the story and explains why they appear to be the same seismically," explains Koelemeijer.
The different temperatures of these two structures, compared to their surrounding regions, impact how heat dissipates from Earth's core, which in turn affects the convection in the core that drives our planet's magnetic field.
The researchers suspect that as the two mantle structures are not allowing the core's heat to escape evenly on both sides of our planet, they may be contributing to unbalancing the field that maintains our atmosphere's life-supporting qualities.
Africa's large low-velocity province has already been implicated in the weakening of the magnetic field nearby.
The researchers require more data, such as observations from Earth's gravitational field, to better understand the impacts of this deep Earth asymmetry.
This research was published in Scientific Reports.
Earth's Core Could Be Hiding a Vast Reservoir of Primordial Helium
Physicists Create Lab-Grown Diamond Even Harder Than Natural
This New Quantum Tech Could Revolutionize How We Navigate The World

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Photos: Strawberry Moon wows across the world
Photos: Strawberry Moon wows across the world

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Photos: Strawberry Moon wows across the world

June's Strawberry Moon put on a show around the world with a slight berry hue and a view low on the horizon for the first time since last summer. The Strawberry Moon reached peak illumination around 3 a.m. on Wednesday and appeared full and bright on Tuesday evening. The video at the top of this story was taken on Tuesday from Chicago, where the lucky photographer captured a helicopter and plane passing in front of the glowing Moon. The final full Moon of spring is named the Strawberry Moon for the time when the berries are ripe for picking and also the slight reddish hue because it is lower in the sky. "When it spends more of that time in that lower portion of the sky, you're looking through more of Earth's atmosphere, which makes these moons generally look redder and more golden," said Dr. Tyler Richey-Yowell, a postdoctoral fellow at Lowell Observatory in Arizona. This golden glow was on display Tuesdsay night in New York City, where the Empire State Building and the Moon made a beautiful pair. How To Photograph The Moon With Your Phone In Florida, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft presented a trifecta of space with the Moon looming large in the night sky. Saharan dust moving up the Southeast coast could have contributed to the yellow and orange tint of the Moon on Tuesday. Wildfire smoke provided an added boost to the red coloring of the Moon in Columbus, Ohio, as the image below shows. In the United Kingdom, the Moon appeared berry red near the northeast coast of England along Whitley Bay. A golden Moon appeared peaking out from behind the mausoleum of Mustafa in Turkey on Tuesday in the creatively set image article source: Photos: Strawberry Moon wows across the world

5 benefits Africa's new space agency can deliver
5 benefits Africa's new space agency can deliver

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

5 benefits Africa's new space agency can deliver

The African Space Agency was officially inaugurated in Cairo's Space City in April 2025. The event marked a milestone in a process that had been in the works since the early 2000s. Drawing inspiration from the European Space Agency, it unites African Union (AU) member states to harness space technology for development. This is in line with the AU's Agenda 2063, aimed at advancing Africa into a prosperous future. Read more: The agency's goal is to: coordinate and implement Africa's space ambitions by promoting collaboration among the AU's 55 member states harness space technologies for sustainable development, climate resilience and socio-economic growth oversee the African Space Policy and Strategy to enhance access to space-derived data foster partnerships with international space agencies like the European Space Agency and others. Over 20 African countries operate space programmes and more than 65 African satellites have been launched. It is my view as a global space diplomacy expert that the agency can help ensure that Africa isn't a bystander in the space economy. This sector is projected to be worth US$1.8 trillion by 2035. The space agency positions Africa to address pressing challenges and take advantage of opportunities in the global space economy. These include using satellite data, boosting connectivity, driving economic growth, fostering global partnerships and training future leaders. Valuable eyes in the sky Space assets, particularly Earth observation satellites, offer a number of advantages. The continent faces significant climate risks like droughts, fires and floods. This is particularly problematic as the agricultural sector is approximately 35% of Africa's GDP and employs about half of its people across over 1 billion hectares of arable land. Satellite data optimises crop yields, supports climate-resilient farming, and enhances sustainable fisheries and port modernisation. Nigeria's National Space Research and Deveopment Agency, for example, has used satellites like the NigSat-2 to monitor crop health and predict yields. Beyond agriculture, satellites assist in project planning in cities across Africa. Kenya uses a satellite to track urban development trends and enhance municipal urban planning capacities. Satellites also keep an eye on Africa's resource-abundant territories while tackling problems like armed conflict, deforestation, and illegal migration and mining. The African Space Agency will help provide access to AI-enhanced satellite data. This will enable even nations with constrained resources to tackle local needs. For instance, Côte d'Ivoire's first locally made satellite, launched in 2024, shows how African nations are building their own capabilities. Read more: By making it easier to share data, the African Space Agency also positions the continent to generate revenue in the global space data market. That fuels innovation. Enhancing connectivity and enabling cutting-edge technology Africa's digital divide is stark. Only 38% of its population was online in 2024, compared to the global average of 68%. The African Space Agency aims to bridge this gap through satellite-based communications. This technology can deliver broadband to remote regions where cell towers and undersea cables are impractical. Connectivity enables education, e-commerce and telemedicine. Satellite services, like those provided by SpaceX's Starlink in 21 African countries, will drive digital inclusion. In turn this promises to reduce unemployment and help entrepreneurs. The African Space Agency is also positioning Africa to embrace new space technologies. Examples include Japan's 2025 demonstration of beaming solar power from space, following a US achievement in 2023. This could revolutionise energy access. Space-based solar power captures solar energy in orbit via satellite and transmits it as microwaves to Earth. This offers a solution to Africa's energy poverty. It could provide reliable power to remote areas without extensive grid infrastructure. The African Space Agency's role in coordinating satellite launches and data sharing will make these technologies more accessible and cost-effective. Driving economic growth and innovation Africa's space sector, now worth over US$20 billion, is growing rapidly. The industry has seen an increase of private companies and investor support, moving beyond sole dependence on government funding. Investment is being fuelled by 327 NewSpace firms, a term used for the new emerging commercial space industry in nations such as Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa. These firms often excel in satellite communication, Earth observation and component manufacturing. But many African nations lack resources. The agency will lower barriers by fostering collaboration, coordinating national space programmes, and reducing example, the African Space Agency's efforts to streamline satellite development and launches will spur local manufacturing and tech hubs. This means that smaller economies will be able to participate. Strengthening regional and global connections Africa's space sector relies on partnerships with space agencies and commercial space companies based in the 'space powers'. These include the US, Russia, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. These institutions provide launch services, satellite development and ground stations. An example is Senegal's GaindeSAT-1A, a CubeSat launched in 2024 via America's SpaceX with French collaboration. Meanwhile, countries like South Africa are exploring local rocket programmes to enhance the agency's self-reliance. Africa's space ground stations are already located across the continent, supporting the European Space Agency and commercial missions. They will soon host a deep space ground station for America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Funding remains a challenge. African nations allocated just US$426 million to space programmes in 2025. That's less than 1% of global spending. The European Space Agency has an US$8 billion budget. However, initiatives like the €100 million Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme (2025–2028) aim to boost Africa's space sovereignty and innovation. The agency's vision extends beyond Earth, with an eye on the Moon. Some members, notably Angola, Nigeria and Rwanda, have already signed the US-led Artemis Accords for lunar exploration. For their part Egypt and South Africa are collaborating with China and Russia on the International Lunar Research Station. Read more: Training the next generation A skilled workforce is critical to Africa's space industry. The Africa Space Agency Space City plans to host a training academy. It will build on Egypt's programmes in space project management, satellite design, and orbital simulation. Partnerships like the Africa-EU programme offer scholarships, while private initiatives, such as the Pathways to Space programme by Boeing and the Future African Space Explorers STEM Academy, engage students in 63 schools in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Scott Firsing, University of South Africa Read more: Australia should stand up for our feta and prosecco in trade talks with the EU Starlink is transforming Pacific internet access – but in some countries it's still illegal Nigerian children don't imagine women as political leaders: what shapes their view Scott Firsing does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Strawberry Moon will make a ‘standstill' over Kansas tonight
Strawberry Moon will make a ‘standstill' over Kansas tonight

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Strawberry Moon will make a ‘standstill' over Kansas tonight

KANSAS (KSNT) – Kansans will be able to see a special full moon Tuesday night that will come to a 'lunar standstill'. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson told 27 News that the event only occurs every 18.6 years. She said the full moon on the night of June 10 is referred to as the Strawberry Moon because it happens at the time of year when wild strawberries ripen. Culbertson said the moon could appear redder than usual because of smoke in the atmosphere, as long as the smoke stays in our area. 'The Lunar Standstill occurs when the inclined lunar orbit has Moon at the southernmost point in our skies, opposite [the] Sun's standstill point during the summer solstice, which occurs on June 20-21,' Culbertson said. Gambling machines at Kansas businesses: legal or illegal? The last full moon standstill was in 2006. The Strawberry Moon's low position in the sky is made more extreme by the standstill, resulting in the lowest full moon in over a decade, according to 'Since Full Moon is bright, it will be able to be viewed from most locations with a clear southeast-south horizon, and no special equipment is needed to observe it,' Culbertson said. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store