The interior of the earth is not a heap of uniform layers. In its thick middle layer are two large groups of thermochemical substances.

To this day, scientists still do not know where these two gigantic structures came from or why they have different heights, but a series of new geodynamic models have finally found a possible answer to the mystery.

This hidden reservoir is located on the opposite side of the globe and is more than twice as high as the Plume Pacific Ocean beneath the African continent, depending on the magnitude of the deep seismic waves.

After hundreds of simulations, the authors of the new study believe that the plume below the African continent is less dense and less stable than its Pacific counterpart, which is why it is so high.

“Our calculations found that the initial size of the blobs did not affect their height.” To explain Qian Yuan, a geologist at Arizona State University.

“The height of a group is controlled by its density and the viscosity of the surrounding mantle.”

3D view of blobs in the Earth’s crust under Africa. (Minglingley / ASU)

One of the major layers on Earth is the hot, slightly sticky mess known as the silicate rock mantle that sits between the core of our planet and its crust. Although his coat is almost solid, he behaves A kind of tar over time.

Over time, hot magma rocks gradually rise through the mantle, which is thought to have caused volcanic activity on the planet’s surface.

Understanding what is happening in the mantle is an important attempt at geography.

Pacific and African plumes were first discovered in the 1980s. In scientific parlance, these are known as ‘superplums’ Large province with low shear speed (LLSVP).

The current study found that the African LLSVP spread over an altitude of 1,000 km (621 mi) compared to the Pacific LLSVP, which supports previous estimates.

This large difference in height indicates that the two groups have different compositions. However, it is not clear how this affects the surrounding mantle.

The unstable nature of the African pile, for example, may explain why there are such intense volcanoes in some parts of the continent. It also affects the movement of tectonic plates floating in the mantle.

Other seismic models found that the African LLSVP extends up to 1,500 km from the outer core, while the Pacific LLSVP reaches a maximum altitude of 800 km.

In laboratory experiments trying to mimic the Earth’s interior, African and Pacific piles were seen oscillating up and down through the mantle.

The authors of the current study support that their interpretation is that African LLSVP may be unstable, and that this also applies to the Pacific LLSVP, although their model does not suggest this.

Different compositions of Pacific and African LLSVPs can also be explained by their origin. Scientists still do not know where these groups came from, but there are two main theories.

One, the pile is made subducted tectonic plateIt penetrates into the mantle and becomes very hot, gradually falling to the bottom and causing masses.

Another theory is Blob Remains of an ancient collision Between the Earth and the protoplanet that gives us the Moon.

Theories are not contradictory either. For example, you may have contributed to multiple blobs; This is part of why they look so different today.

“The combination of our seismic effects and geodynamic modeling analysis provides new insights into the nature of the Earth’s largest structure and its interactions with the surrounding mantle.” Tell me Yuan.

“This work has far-reaching implications for scientists seeking to understand the current state and evolution of deep mantle structure and the nature of mantle convection.”

This study was published Natural geology.