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What is the Earth made of ? If the answer seems simple to you, it is probably because you are only considering the surface of our planet. But the Earth is not a soccer ball, filled with emptiness. No, instead, the Earth has several layers, like an onion, before reaching its center.
They are generally divided into three distinct parts. The first, which we all know, is the Earth's crust. This hard surface, about thirty kilometers thick, covers the mantle. This second large space occupies 82% of the volume of our planet for more than 60% of its mass.
Inside, we find molten metals. The mantle is 2,885 km thick and has a temperature between 500 and 4,000 °C. It is generally divided into two distinct parts, the upper mantle and the inner layer.
Finally, the last part of our planet, the one that interests us today, is called the core. As its name suggests, it is at the center of the Earth. This “small” ball of fire (6,000 °C for a radius of 1,220 kilometers) is the origin of the Earth's magnetic field.
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As such, many scientific studies are being conducted on the Earth’s core. One of the most recent has just published its findings in the scientific journal Science Advense. The team of Australian researchers, led by Hrvoje Tkalčić, a geophysicist for the ANU (Australian National University), has discovered a structure in the shape of a “giant donut” near the Earth’s core.
This “donut” would surround the Earth’s core for a few hundred kilometres. According to scientists, it would be growing, as the central core also grows. To fully understand how such a structure can exist thousands of kilometers from the surface, we must look at how the core itself works.
The Core: A Factory on a Planetary Scale
The Earth's core is composed largely of an alloy of iron and nickel. These two metals are present in a liquid state within the core. They are also accompanied by lighter elements, in very small quantities.
According to scientists, it is these highly volatile particles that were projected to the end of the nucleus, forming this “giant donut.” In any case, researchers believe that the formation of this “donut” is not recent. They even believe that it could play an important role in the creation of the Earth's magnetic field, but it is still necessary to define which one.
The Australian scientific study can be found in its entirety here.
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