Mystery Solved: Secrets Unveiled About Earth's Core
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the University of Oxford, the University of Leeds, and University College London have published a study in Nature Communications that sheds light on the formation of Earth's inner core. The study, which used atomic-scale computer simulations, has revealed that carbon plays a key role in the freezing process of the inner core, contrary to previous beliefs.
The researchers found that a core composition of 3.8% carbon allows for supercooling at 266 °C, a composition that explains both the nucleation and observed size of the inner core. This suggests that carbon was a key accelerator in Earth's freezing, implying that it might be more abundant in the core than initially thought.
The study aimed to explain why the inner core exists without past supercooling. The findings suggest that without carbon, there would be no solid portion of Earth's innermost part. Interestingly, the simulations discovered that unlike water when it forms hail, the inner core freezing did not require nucleation seeds.
The study's findings could help researchers understand the formation and evolution of Earth's core. Each of the elements like silicon, sulfur, oxygen, and carbon might have impacted the freezing process of the core. If the supercooling of the core wasn't so precise, Earth would have experienced ramifications such as a much larger inner core or the failure of Earth's magnetic field.
The molten outer core surrounding the solid, iron-rich inner core continues to grow as it cools, freezes, and hardens. The exact composition of the Earth's inner core, determined by these researchers in England, is primarily iron with a small amount of nickel and light elements, but the precise mixture varies in studies; this leads to improved models of its solidity and physical properties.
Tim Newcomb, a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest, covered the study for various publications, including Popular Mechanics. Notable interviews conducted by Newcomb include Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland. The study's findings suggest that carbon will be crucial in understanding the formation and evolution of Earth's core, providing further answers to outstanding questions about our planet's heart.
