The rotation of the Earth’s inner core has slowed since 2010, a study found

A recent study published in the journal nature Led by a team of University of Southern California USC confirmed that the Earth’s inner core is a solid sphere composed mainly of… Iron and nickel With an approximate radius of 1220 km, it started Slow down its rotation.

The inner core rotates faster than the rest of the planet, however Starting in 2010, this movement seems to have become slower Study the potential consequences of change.

The USC research team had already released the first results last year and has now expanded the details of the analysis.

The study results released this week are supported by various observations Seismic measurement Which is starting to show a consistent pattern. “When I first saw the seismograms indicating this change, I was puzzled,” he said. John Fidell is a senior professor of geosciences at the University of Southern California (USC). Over time, he collected more than two dozen observations that confirmed the slowing down of the inner core.

The Earth’s inner core is not just an essential element in the formation of the universe The planet’s magnetic fieldBut it also affects the tectonic activity and general dynamics of our planet.

The movement of the outer core of liquid iron surrounding the inner core, It generates the Earth’s magnetic field. Therefore, any change in the rotation of the inner core could have implications for the stability of this magnetic field.

Among the possible consequences of this slowdown is a An imperceptible increase in the length of days. Vidal explained that this increase would be on the order of milliseconds, “almost lost in the noise of the oceans and the turbulent atmosphere.” Data were obtained from repeated earthquakes between 1991 and 2023 and from Soviet nuclear tests conducted between 1971 and 1974, providing a solid basis for studying the Earth’s interior.

Regarding the causes of this phenomenon, researchers suggest: Two main hypotheses: On the one hand Turbulent motion of the outer core It is possible to exert a pulling force that slows down the inner core; On the other hand, Gravitational interactions with denser regions of the lithospheric mantle It can affect the rotation of the nucleus.

The USC team plans to continue investigating the trajectory and dynamics of the inner core to better understand these changes and their potential effects. The importance of the magnetic field lies in its protective role against solar radiationis necessary to maintain the Earth’s atmosphere, and thus life on the planet.

The study, published this week in the journal Nature, found that Earth’s inner core has slowed its rotation speed compared to the planet’s surface. Since 2010. This research provides evidence that the inner core is moving more slowly for the first time in decades.

The motion of the inner core has been a topic of debate in the scientific community for two decades. Previously, the inner core was thought to rotate faster than the Earth’s surface. However, this new study, conducted by John Vidal, a professor of Earth sciences at the University of Southern California (USC), shows that the inner core is starting to slow down.

Vidal, with Professor Wei Wang of the Chinese Academy of SciencesHe used seismic data from repeated earthquakes to reach his conclusions. They analyzed Seismograms for 121 earthquakes pWhat happened nearby is repeated South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023As well as Russian, French and American nuclear tests.

The inner core consists of solid iron and nickel, and is surrounded by an outer core composed of liquid iron and nickel. This mineral structure, which lies more than 3,000 miles below the surface, has been difficult to study directly, so scientists rely on seismic waves to understand its behavior.

The possible effects of this change in the velocity of the inner core on the Earth’s surface are a matter of speculation. Vidal suggested that the length of days could be changed in fractions of a second, although these changes are almost imperceptible to humans.

The USC team aims to continue its research to more precisely track the path of the inner core and better understand the causes of its velocity changes.

In January 2023, InfoBay reported that the Earth’s inner core, mainly composed of solid iron, had stopped rotating relative to the Earth’s surface around 2009 or 201. Based on the analysis of seismic data, the first study of the Earth was conducted University of Southern California He highlighted how this phenomenon affects the length of days and the Earth’s magnetic field. Researchers looked at different theories to explain this slowdown, including gravitational interactions and changes in the liquid outer core.

Stopping the rotation of the inner core has generated great interest in the scientific community, since this fundamental component of our planet plays a crucial role in magnetic field formation and tectonic dynamics. This magnetic field protects the Earth from solar radiation, and is essential for maintaining the atmosphere and life on the planet. Although the exact repercussions of this phenomenon are still being studied, scientists continue to analyze the potential long-term consequences.