Earth Mantle Update: Mountains, Volcanoes, Land Compositions Caused By Mantle's Yo-yo Motion

Earth's mantle observations show that it has been moving in a faster pace than predicted. The first ever set of global observations of flow in the Earth's mantle which is between the crust and core has been compiled.

A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge has compared the observations gathered from the first set of global observations of the moments within the Earth's mantle. Covering about 3000-kilometers of thick layers, the data shows that the predictions geologists made for the past 30 years are different from what the researchers have seen today.  

With more than 2000 measurements taken to observe the flow and movement of the mantle,  these movements within the Earth affects how the Earth looks today. These includes the formation of mountains, volcanoes, and other land related compositions.

The mantle has been moving in a fast wave-like motion that is unlike what most experts have been predicting, ScienceDaily reported. This movements also reflect the changes in the circulation of the ocean and climate change.

All these observation are further explained in the journal Nature Geoscience by head author, Dr. Mark Hoggard of Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences. He discussed that all the events are influenced by external elements which resulted to changes in the oceanography and the oil and gas industry.

Dr. Hoggard added that the measurement of the Earth's mantle is based on a million year-old standard unit of measurement which shows the ups and downs motions of the surface of the mantle.

"In geological terms, the Earth's surface bobs up and down like a yo-yo," as Dr. Hoggard stated, Daily Mail Online reported.

The Earth's mantle observations made researchers look back and rethink of the possibilities. Dr. Hoggard even added that "It could also affect the stability of the ice caps and help us to understand past climate change."