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Melting of the Earth’s inner core

Author

Listed:
  • David Gubbins

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
    IGPP, SIO, UCSD 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0235, USA)

  • Binod Sreenivasan

    (Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208 016, India)

  • Jon Mound

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Sebastian Rost

    (School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

Abstract

Melting of Earth's inner core David Gubbins and colleagues present geodynamo simulations showing that variations in heat flow at the core–mantle boundary are transferred to the inner core boundary. They find that the variations can be large enough to cause heat to flow into the inner core and, if this were to occur in the Earth, to cause localized melting. Such melting would release heavy liquid that could form a variable composition layer, providing a simple explanation for seismic velocity anomalies seen immediately above the inner core boundary. Localized melting and freezing could also provide a mechanism to create seismic anomalies in the inner core itself.

Suggested Citation

  • David Gubbins & Binod Sreenivasan & Jon Mound & Sebastian Rost, 2011. "Melting of the Earth’s inner core," Nature, Nature, vol. 473(7347), pages 361-363, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:473:y:2011:i:7347:d:10.1038_nature10068
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10068
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