mantle

Flawed, Precious Stones Carry Clues From Deep in the Mantle

Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere creates extremely oxidizing conditions at the surface. Anyone who has seen rusty metal has observed oxidation in action: the oxygen steals electrons from the metal, creating crusty, red, iron oxide. Within Earth’s core, however, low levels of oxygen create much more reduced conditions. Intuitively, many researchers have supposed that Earth’s layers become less oxidized with depth, but few samples have emerged from the deep Earth to support or disprove this idea.

Content tagged with “mantle”Showing 1-10 of 122 results

Mantle ‘Tantrum’ Released Burst of Volatiles at End of Archaean Eon 22 November 2019 Feature

Natural processes that move carbon through Earth, like plate tectonics, subduction, and volcanic…

All Kimberlites Erupted from the Same Deep Reservoir 16 October 2019 Feature

Compared to other types of volcanic rocks that erupt at Earth’s surface, kimberlites are unique.…

Carbon Dioxide in Deep Waters: Sparkling Water or Acid? 26 September 2019 Feature

When studying the deep carbon cycle, scientists can’t afford to discount the actions of water,…

The Early Magma Ocean Turned Earth into a ‘Diamond Factory’ 10 September 2019 Feature

Many questions remain about Earth’s formation around 4.6 billion years ago. Why does Earth store so…

Superdeep Diamonds Hint at Primordial Helium Reservoir 29 August 2019 Feature

Microscopic pockets of fluid trapped in diamonds from deep below Earth’s surface are providing new…

Erosion Greased the Wheels of Plate Tectonics 10 June 2019 Feature

Since the 1960s, scientists have accepted that mantle convection—the lava lamp-like churning of…

Diamonds Reveal how Continents are Stabilized, Key to Earth’s Habitability 25 April 2019 Feature

The longevity of Earth’s continents in the face of destructive tectonic activity is an essential…

Eclogitic Diamonds Formed From Oceanic Crust, Study Shows 25 April 2019 Feature

Diamonds are found in two types of rocks from Earth’s mantle: peridotite and eclogite. Peridotite…

In Earth’s Magma Ocean, Carbon Chemistry Got Complicated 15 February 2019 Feature

In the first 100 million years after the formation of the solar system, another planetary body…

Collision with a Mars-Sized Body Delivered Carbon to Early Earth 28 January 2019 Feature

About 4.6 billion years ago, meteorites and other ancient building blocks began to coalesce to form…