In a groundbreaking study recently published in *Science Advances*, scientists have revealed an astonishing new feature within the Earth’s outer core.

Using seismic waves from large earthquakes, researchers have uncovered a doughnut-like, or torus-shaped, structure buried deep beneath the planet’s surface.

This discovery provides fresh insights into the complex dynamics of Earth’s internal composition.

The research team, led by Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic, a geophysicist from the Australian National University, analyzed seismic waves that travel through Earth’s outer core.

These waves, generated by significant seismic events, offer valuable information about the core’s structure and composition.

Professor Tkalcic explained that the team focused on the slowing down of seismic waves as they passed through a specific area of the outer core near its boundary with the mantle.

“By understanding the paths of those waves and their travel times, we reconstructed their journey through the Earth’s outer core,” Tkalcic said.

The slowdown in wave velocity indicated the presence of a torus-shaped region within the outer core, oriented parallel to the equator. This discovery adds a new layer of complexity to our understanding of Earth’s interior.

New Study Reveals Low-Velocity Torus in Earth’s Outer Core

The study’s authors noted, “Thermochemical inhomogeneities in the outer core that enhance our understanding of the geodynamo have been elusive.

Seismic constraints on such inhomogeneities would provide clues on the amount and distribution of light elements in the core apart from iron and nickel.”

The researchers employed global coda correlation wavefield analysis to present evidence of a low-velocity volume within the outer core.

Their findings indicate that seismic waves travel more slowly in this equatorial torus compared to other regions Through waveform modeling, they determined that this torus has a velocity approximately 2% lower than the surrounding liquid outer core.

The study proposes that this low-velocity structure is likely of thermochemical origin, offering crucial insights into the dynamical processes of the Earth’s outer core.

This discovery represents a significant advancement in our understanding of planet’s internal dynamics and could have far-reaching implications for the study of geodynamics and the geodynamo.

 

SpaceX’s launches are on hold after a booster rocket caught fire while landing on Wednesday.

Following the early morning mishap off the Florida coast, the Federal Aviation Administration suspended the company’s Falcon 9 rockets and demanded an investigation. There were no reports of injuries or public damage.

FAA Grounds SpaceX After Rocket Falls Over In Flames At Landing

It’s too early to say how much this may affect SpaceX’s planned crew trips, one private and one for NASA. A billionaire’s chartered flight was delayed only a few hours earlier due to a poor weather forecast.

The rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, delivering all 21 Starlink internet satellites to orbit. However, the first-stage booster exploded in a fireball shortly after landing on an ocean platform, marking the first such disaster in years. This was SpaceX’s 23rd launch of this specific rocket, setting a recycling record.

The FAA stated that before SpaceX can resume Falcon 9 launches, it must accept its accident findings and corrective action. Following the accident, a launch from California with more Starlinks was canceled immediately.

SpaceX’s vice president, Jon Edwards, said the business is working “ASAP” to determine what went wrong.

“The loss of a booster is always heartbreaking. Each of them has its own past and personality. “Fortunately, this does not happen very often,” Edwards wrote on X.

Aside from the private spaceflight awaiting liftoff from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre, the compnany is scheduled to send two astronauts for NASA late next month. Two seats will be reserved for the two astronauts who launched in June aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule and were declared dangerous by NASA for their return.

SOURCE | AP

SpaceX has postponed its plan to launch an all-civilian expedition with the goal of performing the first spacewalk by private persons.

Polaris Dawn was slated to launch from NASA’s space centre in Florida early Wednesday morning.

Hours before the launch, Elon Musk’s business announced that it will be delayed “due to unfavourable weather forecasted” in the capsule’s splashdown zones.

It is uncertain when the next attempt will occur. An earlier one on Tuesday was also cancelled due to a helium leak in the pipe that connects the tower to the rocket.

Fin-tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, who created payment firm Shift 4, is the main force behind the private spaceflight.

He wants to be the first non-professional astronaut to complete a private spacewalk and has arranged and funded much of the endeavour with SpaceX. He has declined to say how much he has invested.

The Polaris project transports its crew in a SpaceX Dragon capsule tethered to the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

They intend to reach altitudes as high as 1,400km (870 miles), which would be the highest point attained by a crewed mission since NASA’s Apollo programme more than 50 years ago.

The businessman is also the captain of the crew, which includes his personal friend and retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, as well as two SpaceX engineers, Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis.

All four have spent two years preparing for the trip, logging thousands of hours in simulated drills.

Mr Isaacman has previously travelled to space, reportedly paying $200 million (£151 million) to participate in SpaceX’s first all-civilian orbital trip, the Inspiration4 mission, scheduled for 2021.

The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to last six days in space. The spacewalk is scheduled to take place on day three.

Mr Isaacman and Ms Gillis will subsequently escape the spacecraft while wearing Space X’s modified spacesuits, which have displays and helmet cameras. The entire event, which will take place 700 km in orbit, is expected to last almost two hours.

They are also prepared to conduct a number of tests from high altitude, including communication with Starlink internet satellites and investigations of the effects of travelling through the Van Allen radiation belt, a highly charged area of space.