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Scientists Detected Changes in the Earth’s Core That May Slightly Affect the Planet’s Rotations. But What Does This Mean for the Future?
A new discovery may change the way we understand the Earth’s core. Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) found evidence that the surface of the inner core of the planet is changing over time.
The study, led by professor John Vidale, analyzed the rotation of the inner core when unexpected seismic data emerged.
The Inner Core May Not Be Completely Solid
It was believed that the Earth’s inner core, located about 5,000 kilometers deep, was a solid sphere surrounded by a liquid outer core. However, new findings suggest that its surface may be undergoing structural changes over time.
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“As I was analyzing seismic records from several decades, a set of seismic wave data curiously stood out from the rest,” explained Vidale. “Later, I realized I was looking at evidence that the inner core is not completely solid.“
This raises an important question: how does this structural change affect the rotation of the core and, consequently, the Earth itself?
Earth’s Core
The team analyzed records of recurring earthquakes between 1991 and 2024, especially those near Antarctica. The data was collected from seismic stations in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Yellowknife, Canada.
It was then that something peculiar appeared: a set of seismic waves recorded at the Canadian station was different from anything previously transmitted. An anomaly indicated that the surface of the inner core was not fixed, but rather mutable.
For decades, scientists have studied how the inner core spins in relation to the rest of the planet. Physical changes in its structure have received less attention.
Now, new evidence suggests that the topography of the core may vary this rotation and even impact the length of Earth’s days.
The Outer Core of the Earth May Be Responsible
The study points out that the turbulence of the outer core—the layer of molten iron and nickel surrounding the Earth’s inner core—may be the cause of these structural changes.
“The molten outer core is widely known to be turbulent“, said Vidale. “But its turbulence has not been observed disturbing the inner core on a human timescale. What we are seeing here may be the first evidence of this.“
This interaction between the two cores may cause deformations in the surface of the inner core, altering its shape over time. This may also be related to the slowing rotation of the inner core, a phenomenon observed in recent years.
Longer Days in the Future?
Changes in the rotation of the inner core are subtle, but they may have a direct effect on the length of days on Earth. Small variations have been recorded over the years, and this new discovery may help us better understand the reasons for these changes.
There are still many unanswered questions. But this research opens a new path for studying the internal structure of planet Earth and its effects on the surface.
With information from interestingengineering. Study available in Nature.
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