The structure of our planet consists of three main parts: the earth’s crust, the mantle and the core.
If you think of it like an egg; The crust of the earth is like the shell of an egg, the mantle, which is a thick layer of rock, is like the white of an egg, and the core is like the yolk of an egg.
The inner core is as hot as the surface of the Sun. The center of the earth is so deep and under so much pressure that it is actually a metal ball of iron and nickel, although very hot.
Previous research has revealed that the planet’s inner core is separated from the rest of Earth by a liquid metal outer core, meaning it can rotate independently and does not need to move in sync with the rest of the planet.
Scientists from Peking University in China have been investigating activity deep within the Earth’s surface for several years by studying seismic waves caused by earthquakes of similar nature.
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The energy released as a result of large earthquakes near the earth’s surface also goes deep into the earth.
By tracing the paths of these seismic waves deep within the Earth, scientists discovered that “little has changed in the past decade.”
Their findings show that the rotation of the Earth’s inner core has stalled, and over the years the cycle has evolved from one direction to the other.
HOW IS THIS AFFECTING US?
These changes in the Earth’s core have the effect of changing the people living on the planet’s surface in terms of navigation and even the length of the day.
This is due to the phenomenon called magnetic field.
Our planet revolves around itself in space. The metal core of the Earth also rotates in the same way. These movements create the magnetic force that surrounds the Earth, called the magnetic field.
We can consider it as a giant magnet. The worldThe north and south poles are like the magnetic poles.
But somewhat confusingly, the geographic north and south poles and the magnetic poles are not exactly in the same place, and they are also on the move.
The north magnetic pole has shifted 1,400 miles from north of Canada to Siberia in Russia since it was discovered in 1832.
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The movement of the north magnetic pole has accelerated so much in recent years that changes have to be made to the navigation devices used in military and commercial transportation and search and rescue operations operating around the North Pole.
Earth’s magnetic field is also responsible for controlling how fast or equally slow the earth rotates on its axis, in other words how long our days are.
Just as with the quarterly leap year, even a slight slowdown in the rotation that creates a day has resulted in the need to add 27 leap seconds since the 1970s to keep the time accurate.
The rate at which the Earth spins on its axis is believed to have changed continuously throughout history due to variation in the rotation of the inner core.
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But not all scientists agree with these new findings.
Dr John Vidale, a well-known geophysicist in the United States, is skeptical of the results announced by Chinese scientists.
“Our view of the Earth’s interior is still blurred,” says Vidale, comparing our view of the Earth’s core to observing without a scanner.
“Something’s going on and I think we’ll be able to figure it out, but it could take ten years,” adds Vidale.
