New Research from China Reveals Earth’s Core is Not a Stable Sphere but a Distorted Entity, Continuously Shifting.
According to Science Alert, the study based on unusual variations in measurements from the Earth’s surface has unveiled perplexing periodic oscillations deep within the planet.
Led by geologists Yachong An and Hao Ding from Wuhan University (China), the team has determined that the Earth’s inner core is not stationary but oscillates with a period of 8.5 years.
“The Heart” of Earth Reveals Mysterious Oscillations with a Period of 8.5 Years – (Illustrative Image).
This finding also reveals that the inner core of the planet is not a perfect spherical metallic ball. It is denser in the Northwest Hemisphere, a peculiar phenomenon previously suggested by seismic data.
The tilt of this core relative to the mantle—specifically, the difference in rotation axis between this core and the mantle—is only 0.17 degrees, much smaller than the previously estimated 10 degrees, which could lead to significant changes in geodynamic studies.
The inner core is regarded as the “heart” of the planet. Slightly larger than the planet Pluto, it can influence many of Earth’s cycles, including providing heat to warm the world from within.
Among these, the difference in rotation axis relative to the mantle is the cause of the “swaying” on a periodic basis of 8.5 years, which may explain earlier findings that Earth’s two magnetic poles seem to “wander” within a range rather than remain stationary.
The characteristics of the inner core may also affect the molten outer core, thereby impacting Earth’s magnetic field.
However, according to the research recently published in the journal Nature Communications, the inner core and its anomalies may influence our planet in many other ways.
The discovery of this mysterious oscillation cycle is just a precursor to further studies aimed at comprehensively explaining the effects of this underlying activity on the outside world we inhabit.
