The earth's missing ingredient.

• Autores: Kei Hirose
• Localización: Scientific American, ISSN 0036-8733, Vol. 302, Nº. 6, 2010, págs. 76-83
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • In this article the author examines aspects of the composition of the Earth. At issue is the discovery of a mineral deep in the Earth's mantle called postperovskite. At high pressure the common mineral in the Earth's mantle experiences a structural change and becomes more dense. It is suggested that heat is more efficiently carried in this layer than had been previously thought. The effects of the transportation of heat on the development of continents and the magnetic field of the Earth is discussed. INSETS: DEEP EARTH IN THE LAB;CONVECTION ON STEROIDS;MANTLE AND CORE EVOLUTION.