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Hissyspit

(45,788 posts)
Fri Jun 13, 2014, 08:24 AM Jun 2014

Earth May Have Underground 'Ocean' Three Times That on Surface [View all]

Last edited Fri Jun 13, 2014, 09:52 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Guardian

Earth may have underground 'ocean' three times that on surface

Scientists say rock layer hundreds of miles down holds vast amount of water, opening up new theories on how planet formed


Melissa Davey
Thursday 12 June 2014 23.53 EDT

After decades of searching scientists have discovered that a vast reservoir of water, enough to fill the Earth’s oceans three times over, may be trapped hundreds of miles beneath the surface, potentially transforming our understanding of how the planet was formed.

The water is locked up in a mineral called ringwoodite about 660km (400 miles) beneath the crust of the Earth, researchers say. Geophysicist Steve Jacobsen from Northwestern University in the US co-authored the study published in the journal Science and said the discovery suggested Earth’s water may have come from within, driven to the surface by geological activity, rather than being deposited by icy comets hitting the forming planet as held by the prevailing theories.

“Geological processes on the Earth’s surface, such as earthquakes or erupting volcanoes, are an expression of what is going on inside the Earth, out of our sight,” Jacobsen said.

“I think we are finally seeing evidence for a whole-Earth water cycle, which may help explain the vast amount of liquid water on the surface of our habitable planet. Scientists have been looking for this missing deep water for decades.”

Jacobsen and his colleagues are the first to provide direct evidence that there may be water in an area of the Earth’s mantle known as the transition zone. They based their findings on a study of a vast underground region extending across most of the interior of the US.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/13/earth-may-have-underground-ocean-three-times-that-on-surface

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ohhh good! heaven05 Jun 2014 #1
Well, yes and no. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #3
geez! heaven05 Jun 2014 #22
Thank-you!! SkyDaddy7 Jun 2014 #33
Minerals are only 'stable' within specific Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #35
(btw, 'a ton of pressure' Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #36
Thank you for the explanation enlightenment Jun 2014 #38
Well, Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #39
Truth be told? enlightenment Jun 2014 #43
Thanks again...If SkyDaddy7 Jun 2014 #42
That was my thought - how deep do we drill for oil already? I also thought of the hot springs in jwirr Jun 2014 #23
I forsee many Hollow Earth/Atlantis mashup articles coming from this Bosonic Jun 2014 #2
Not theories, hypothesis Android3.14 Jun 2014 #4
There is hard evidence, though, for this idea: Maedhros Jun 2014 #40
maybe part of it is like journey to the center of the earth tomm2thumbs Jun 2014 #5
Jules Verne had an amazing imagination. BootinUp Jun 2014 #6
I can imagine people of his day flocking to get his books and being blown away by it all tomm2thumbs Jun 2014 #7
This is exactly what I was thing of to MFM008 Jun 2014 #53
Drill, baby, drill! randome Jun 2014 #8
Well, there goes the dreams of those who believe they can control the water market. Baitball Blogger Jun 2014 #9
Silly libtards... HuskyOffset Jun 2014 #10
Drowning satan! LisaLynne Jun 2014 #15
Funny how that omnipotent deity Arugula Latte Jun 2014 #50
Uh Oh. This will send the fundy Noah's flood folks into a tizzy. "Fountains of the deep" baby! yellowcanine Jun 2014 #11
Maybe we can send them all fundies underground to look for these fountains davidpdx Jun 2014 #16
One does have to cross the River Styx to get to Hades.... yellowcanine Jun 2014 #18
and Kirk Cameron shall lead them Arugula Latte Jun 2014 #51
Damn, you beat me to it packman Jun 2014 #19
Windows? griloco Jun 2014 #20
Very interesting......... Swede Atlanta Jun 2014 #12
Actually there is a reference in the Bible....... yellowcanine Jun 2014 #14
Interesting, there's a book based on this theory phantom power Jun 2014 #13
Baxter's work is amazing NickB79 Jun 2014 #45
Ya...more to pollute! SoapBox Jun 2014 #17
New theories - cool. toby jo Jun 2014 #21
Fiction HelenWheels Jun 2014 #24
I bet the Water will be Hot. PeoViejo Jun 2014 #25
before you get your hopes up, folks.... paleotn Jun 2014 #26
Just reading most of the comments in this thread Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #32
You just need to BELIEVE, Erich! Believe in Pellucidar! randome Jun 2014 #34
Heh. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2014 #37
Minerals behave very strangely at 2-4 GPa pressures. Maedhros Jun 2014 #41
Interesting that we explore & seemingly "know" more about space than our own planet. (nt) Inkfreak Jun 2014 #27
It's a whole lot easier to look at or travel to space FiveGoodMen Jun 2014 #29
This message was self-deleted by its author Inkfreak Jun 2014 #28
Love this. So much more compelling... JackRiddler Jun 2014 #30
Surf's up! ...er, down. tofuandbeer Jun 2014 #31
It certainly is defacto7 Jun 2014 #44
Our planet formed in the habitable zone of our star. roamer65 Jun 2014 #46
Nice. PFunk Jun 2014 #47
Fascinating. KnR to read later Hekate Jun 2014 #48
See? Genesis was right! Raphael Campos Jun 2014 #49
when the sun was shining, yes and the stars were bright all through the night MisterP Jun 2014 #52
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