Mysterious ‘Sunken Worlds’ Discovered Deep in Earth’s Mantle Defy Scientific Explanation – Indian Defence Review

Deep within Earth’s mantle, scientists have uncovered mysterious structures in places they shouldn’t exist. These “sunken worlds,” revealed through cutting-edge imaging, may be remnants of ancient crust or entirely new formations. What secrets do they hold about Earth’s history and geology? Researchers are only beginning to piece together the story.In a discovery that could reshape our understanding of Earth’s interior, scientists have identified enigmatic structures deep within the planet’s mantle. Described as “sunken worlds,” these anomalies defy existing geological theories, appearing in regions where no known tectonic activity could have deposited them. The findings, made possible by cutting-edge seismic imaging, reveal features that could represent fragments of ancient crust, recycled slabs, or entirely unknown formations.“This is our dilemma,” explained Thomas Schouten, a doctoral candidate at the ETH Zurich Geological Institute in Switzerland. “With the new high-resolution model, we can see such anomalies everywhere in the Earth’s mantle. But we don’t know exactly what they are.”The discovery of these mantle anomalies was enabled by full-waveform inversion, an advanced seismic imaging technique that creates high-resolution, 3D models of Earth’s interior. Unlike traditional methods that stitch together fragmented data from various sources, full-waveform inversion integrates seismic waves from multiple earthquakes into a cohesive, detailed image of the mantle. This approach allowed researchers to observe previously undetectable structures lurking deep within the Earth.The imaging revealed what appear to be “blobs” or “slabs” of material, buried far below the surface and scattered throughout the mantle. These anomalies interact with seismic waves in unusual ways, creating variations in wave speeds that suggest differences in their composition compared to surrounding mantle material.“We have to calculate the different material parameters that could generate the observed speeds of the different wave types,” Schouten said. “Essentially, we have to dive deeper into the material properties behind the wave speed.”The newly discovered structures could hold clues to Earth’s early history or reveal unknown processes operating in its mantle. Hypotheses about their nature include:These possibilities raise significant questions about how material cycles through Earth’s layers over time. The anomalies’ locations, far from active tectonic zones, challenge the traditional view that mantle features are primarily shaped by plate boundaries. Instead, they suggest more complex, global processes that remain poorly understood.To uncover the true nature of these anomalies, researchers will need to refine their models further and conduct detailed analyses of their material properties. This requires studying how seismic waves interact with various compositions under extreme conditions, replicating the pressure and temperature found deep within the mantle.Schouten emphasized the importance of this work, saying, “We have to dive deeper into the material properties behind the wave speed.” By doing so, scientists hope to identify the anomalies’ composition and origin, determining whether they are relics of Earth’s early formation or active participants in ongoing mantle processes.The discovery of these hidden structures has profound implications for geology and planetary science. If the anomalies are ancient crustal fragments, they could provide a window into the early Earth, revealing insights into how the planet formed and differentiated. Alternatively, if they represent unique mantle formations, they may indicate previously unknown dynamics within Earth’s interior.Understanding these anomalies could also refine models of mantle convection, the process that drives plate tectonics, volcanic activity, and even the planet’s magnetic field. Their distribution and behavior could illuminate new pathways for heat and material transfer within Earth’s layers.As researchers continue to explore these sunken worlds, the next steps will involve leveraging additional seismic data and applying more sophisticated computational techniques. The potential discoveries promise to deepen our understanding of Earth’s complex inner workings and reshape the field of geology.Got a reaction? Share your thoughts in the commentsEnjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free Newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest newsit’s not a new discovery. geologist have known about these blobs for 60 years.
the info has been contained in private proprietary archives. classified geological
recordings. some are nickel iron remains
of pre historic asteroids when the earth
was molten. drifting to the core. i have worked for a lifetime in geology research.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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