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The Earth Outer Core Has A Unique Jet Stream Of Molten Iron

By Bethlehem Cervantes | Update Date: Dec 26, 2016 06:30 AM EST

The Agency's Swarm satellites captured the unique jet stream-like current of molten iron in the outer core of the Earth. The new X-ray images unveiled the accelerating band of molten iron circling the North Pole.

On December 19, one of the researchers at the University of Leeds in English revealed the remarkable new feature of the Earth's molten outer core. The molten iron is like fast-flowing liquid westwards under Siberia and Alaska. The sharpest x-ray image is not only seen a jet stream, however, scientists understand the reason behind the current of soften-liquid iron.

These satellites were mapping the planet's magnetic field looking for answers behind the fundamental functions of the Earth's outer core. These trio satellites were detecting different magnetic signals which stem from the mantle, crust, and core, even in oceans, magnetosphere, and ionosphere.

The core's jet stream location was made of liquefying metal and 3,000 kilometers of rock under. According to Dr. Phil Livermore, the molten iron jet stream travels 25 miles per year and several hundred times faster than shifting tectonic plates. Researchers found changes in the magnetic field about the movement of the molten rock thousand miles faster in the northern hemisphere.

Dr. Chris Finlay of the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark explained the very dense liquid metal took a huge amount of energy to make the molten iron move quickly halfway around the planet earth. It was 420 kilometers wide and currently wrapped around 180 degrees around the tangent cylinder.

Professor Rainer Hollerbach hypothesized the movement could be either endowed with buoyancy or the frequent changes in the magnetic field within the Earth's core. Professor Hollerbach was one of the co-authors from the School of Mathematics at Leeds.

These latest discoveries of the molten jet stream were only one of many to come. Scientists and researchers were excited to discover next about planet Earth. The discoveries were made possible by Swarm in a detailed manner.

 

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