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The Earth’s structure is much more complex than we thought and is constantly changing every day. The interior of the planet can be divided into three distinct layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core. Many theories suggest that the Earth’s core is rotating independently of our spinning planet. The latest research by scientists has revealed that the rotation of the Earth’s core is slowing down dramatically and has even reversed.
Earth’s Core
The Earth’s core is the hottest part of the planet, comparable to the surface of the Sun. The core is buried about 5,180 kilometers deep inside the Earth and consists mainly of iron and nickel. The inner core is surrounded by a liquid metal outer core, which acts as a barrier with the rest of the Earth. This barrier allows the Earth’s core, which is similar to a hot solid ball of metal, to rotate freely and is not necessarily aligned with the rest of the planet.
Is the rotation of the Earth’s core slowing down?
Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann discovered the planet’s inner core in 1936. Since then, scientists have been debating its rotation speed and direction. One reason scientists have limited evidence to prove their point is that it is impossible to directly observe or collect samples from the Earth’s deep interior. Most research and studies are based on variations between waves of similar strengths passing through the core at different times.
According to a new finding published in the journal Nature in June this year, data obtained from seismograms of frequent earthquakes and explosions on Earth show that the rotation speed of the solid inner core has been steadily decreasing compared to the Earth’s surface over the past few years.
According to CNN, this research not only confirms that the Earth is slowing down, but also supports scientists’ claim made in 2023 that the core’s slowdown is part of a decades-old pattern of slowing down and speeding up.
A model proposed in 2023 described the pattern of the rotation speed and direction of the Earth’s core. The model proposed that the Earth’s inner core rotated faster than the Earth’s crust in the past, but is now rotating slower. For a while, the rotation of the core and the Earth coincided. Later, the rotation speed of the Earth’s core decreased even more until it began to rotate in the opposite direction.
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Published: July 07, 2024, 01:53 PM IST
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