Scientists Discover a Massive Ocean Deep Within the Earth

You would Think that, by this Point in our Exploration of Out Own Planet, we would Already Know Where All of the Large Bodies of Water are. But, Scientists at Northeastern University in Illinois Have just Published a Paper that Describes a Newly Discovered Ocean and this One actually Contains More Water than All of the Previously Known Bodies of Water on Earth Combined. The Difference is that, this Ocean is Deep within the Earth's Mantle, Some 400 Miles below the Surface. To Figure Out What was Going on Down there, the researchers Studied Seismic Waves Generated by More than 500 Earthquakes. These Waves Can Continue Vibrating for Days as the Shockwaves Pass through the Earth's Mantle and Core, Reflecting Back and Forth. By Measuring their Speed, we Can Learn about the Material they're Passing through. Dr. Steve Jacobsen at Northwestern Says that, Scientists Have been Able to Study 2 Diamonds from this Area Deep in the Earth's Mantle, that were Expelled during Volcanic Eruptions.


Both Contained a Type of Blue Rock Called, Ringwoodite, which is Able to Absorb and then Expel Water Under the Extreme Pressures Found Deep within the Earth. Dr. Jacobsen was Able to Grow Ringwoodite in his Lab, Recreating the Intense Pressure and Heat Found 400 Miles Down and Discovered that, the Rock would Effectively Sweat Out Water. The New Findings Have Caused a Shift in Scientific Thinking about How the Surface Oceans of the Earth were Formed. It's been Assumed that, the Water was Brought by Massive Comets Colliding with our Young Planet but, the New Thinking is that, the Water was Always here and just Bled Out from the Magma Layers. This also Helps to Explain Why the Earth's Oceanic Area has Remained Fairly Constant for Millions of Years, Tapping on this Huge Hidden Reserve to Keep Things in Equilibrium. I Suppose this Means that, James Cameron will Have to Gear Up for a New Dive if, he Truly Wants to be Able to Claim that, he has Reached the Bottom of the Ocean.




Info Sources:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25723-massive-ocean-discovered-towards-earths-core.html#.U562kiimU1I

http://www.earth.northwestern.edu/research/jacobsen