How do we know the Earth's core is Molten with Seismology?
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My current knowledge about how the core of the earth was discovered is the observation made from non returning/reflecting sonar signal when sent to deeper depths through the earth's crust/mantle. How was it inferred that the the core was molten?
acoustics earth planets geophysics
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
My current knowledge about how the core of the earth was discovered is the observation made from non returning/reflecting sonar signal when sent to deeper depths through the earth's crust/mantle. How was it inferred that the the core was molten?
acoustics earth planets geophysics
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
4
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
My current knowledge about how the core of the earth was discovered is the observation made from non returning/reflecting sonar signal when sent to deeper depths through the earth's crust/mantle. How was it inferred that the the core was molten?
acoustics earth planets geophysics
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
My current knowledge about how the core of the earth was discovered is the observation made from non returning/reflecting sonar signal when sent to deeper depths through the earth's crust/mantle. How was it inferred that the the core was molten?
acoustics earth planets geophysics
acoustics earth planets geophysics
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
100k121801129
100k121801129
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
394
394
It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
4
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19
add a comment |
It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
4
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19
It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
4
4
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19
add a comment |
1 Answer
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up vote
11
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There are basically two types of waves - shear (s) waves and primary (p) compression waves.
P waves can travel through solids and liquids but s waves do not travel in fluids.
That p waves, but not s waves, are detected from events occurring on the other side of the globe tells you that there is fluid in the way.
This is the basic picture; it is complicated/enhanced by refraction and dispersion of the waves.
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
11
down vote
There are basically two types of waves - shear (s) waves and primary (p) compression waves.
P waves can travel through solids and liquids but s waves do not travel in fluids.
That p waves, but not s waves, are detected from events occurring on the other side of the globe tells you that there is fluid in the way.
This is the basic picture; it is complicated/enhanced by refraction and dispersion of the waves.
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
add a comment |
up vote
11
down vote
There are basically two types of waves - shear (s) waves and primary (p) compression waves.
P waves can travel through solids and liquids but s waves do not travel in fluids.
That p waves, but not s waves, are detected from events occurring on the other side of the globe tells you that there is fluid in the way.
This is the basic picture; it is complicated/enhanced by refraction and dispersion of the waves.
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
add a comment |
up vote
11
down vote
up vote
11
down vote
There are basically two types of waves - shear (s) waves and primary (p) compression waves.
P waves can travel through solids and liquids but s waves do not travel in fluids.
That p waves, but not s waves, are detected from events occurring on the other side of the globe tells you that there is fluid in the way.
This is the basic picture; it is complicated/enhanced by refraction and dispersion of the waves.
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
There are basically two types of waves - shear (s) waves and primary (p) compression waves.
P waves can travel through solids and liquids but s waves do not travel in fluids.
That p waves, but not s waves, are detected from events occurring on the other side of the globe tells you that there is fluid in the way.
This is the basic picture; it is complicated/enhanced by refraction and dispersion of the waves.
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.5k7132228
67.5k7132228
add a comment |
add a comment |
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It is currently thought that there exists an outer core and an inner core. The outer core is molten, but the inner core is thought to be solid. The methods used to determine this are basically described in Ron Jeffries' answer.
– StephenG
Nov 26 at 22:37
4
BTW: I (with help) just landed a seismometer on Mars a few hours ago.
– JEB
Nov 27 at 1:52
When you say 'sonar signals' are 'sent', that suggests that artificial signals are sent using some kind of seismologist's apparatus. That is certainly not the case -- such signals would never make it down that far. Instead, the vibrations caused by earthquakes are monitored by different stations around the world.
– TonyK
Nov 27 at 2:19