By studying how earthquake waves move through Earth’s interior, scientists have discovered two giant deep regions with unusual temperatures and chemical makeup.
One idea suggests these “superplumes” are leftovers from the massive collision that formed the Moon around 4.5 billion years ago. Another theory says they are huge piles of ancient tectonic plates that slowly sank deep inside Earth over billions of years.
Whatever their origin, these enormous structures may influence volcanic activity on Earth’s surface, possibly helping to form island chains like Hawaii. Known as large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs), Earth’s superplumes are shown in the featured animation.
Why it matters:
These mysterious deep-Earth structures could help scientists better understand how our planet formed, why volcanoes appear in certain regions, and how Earth’s interior continues to shape the surface over billions of years.
source APOD
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