How do we know the Earth's core is Molten with Seismology?
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♦
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
add a comment |
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♦
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
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 |
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♦
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
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♦
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
101k121831148
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
101k121831148
edited Nov 26 at 20:28
Qmechanic♦
101k121831148
101k121831148
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
asked Nov 26 at 20:08
LiNKeR
445
445
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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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
67.8k7135228
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
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
67.8k7135228
add a comment |
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
67.8k7135228
add a comment |
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
67.8k7135228
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
67.8k7135228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.8k7135228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.8k7135228
answered Nov 26 at 20:24
Rob Jeffries
67.8k7135228
67.8k7135228
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