地球内部核心的融化
David Gubbins1, Binod Sreenivasan, Jon Mound
1School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
Nature
|May 20, 2011
概括
地球的核心动力学可能会导致局部融化,这可能解释了内核上方的地震异常层. 地力学模拟显示了影响核心过程和地震特征的热流变化.
科学领域:
- 地质物理学 地质物理学
- 地球科学 地球科学 地球科学
- 计算物理 计算物理
背景情况:
- 地球的磁场起源于液体铁核中的动力发电机作用.
- 核心对流是由冷却和光元素在内核结期间的释放驱动的.
- 地幔对流会导致从核心提取热量的侧面变化显著.
研究的目的:
- 为了研究核心-地幔边界侧面热流变化对内核的影响.
- 探索内部核心内部局部化的潜力.
- 为了解释内部核心上方存在一个可变组成层的存在.
主要方法:
- 使用了地力学模拟器.
- 分析的热流转移到内核边界.
- 模拟局部融和结的影响.
主要成果:
- 地动纳摩模拟显示,横向热流变化会导致热流向内核.
- 这种向内的热流可以在内核边界诱导局部化.
- 融化释放出沉重的液体,可能形成观察到的地震异常层.
结论:
- 局部化为内核上方的可变组成层提供了一个简单的解释.
- 这种机制为关于内核行为的复杂假设提供了替代方案.
- 局部融和结可以在内核本身产生强烈的地震异常.
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