Our planetdespite being a familiar place and studied for centuries, still guard numerous mysteries that captivate the imagination of scientists and explorers. And it is that We have barely discovered the most basic of the earthwhich is already a lot. But from the depths of the oceans to the vast expanses of space, there are many enigmas that challenge our understanding of the world we inhabit.
For this reason, there is still a wide margin to surprise us. In that sense, a recent study from the University of Southern California (USC) has revealed a great discovery: Earth's inner core has been spinning slower than the surface for the past 14 years.
This finding, published in the journal Nature and picked up by various media, opens new questions about the internal functioning of our planet and its potential repercussions on the surfaceResearchers suggest that if this trend continues, days on Earth could become longer, although the difference would be imperceptible to us.
An unexpected turn in the depths
The inner core, a dense sphere of iron and nickel the size of the Moon, It is located more than 4,800 kilometers below the Earth's surface. Surrounded by an outer core of molten metal and encapsulated by the Earth's mantle, this deep section of the planet can rotate at a different rate due to the viscosity of the outer core.
For more than two decades, Scientists have debated the rotation speed of the inner core, knowing that it tends to rotate slightly faster than the crust and mantle. However, the study led by John Vidale, professor of Earth Sciences at USC, has shown “with unequivocal evidence” that since 2010 this core has begun to slow down.
To study these movements, scientists like Vidale use seismic waves generated by earthquakes and nuclear tests. In this research, data from 121 repeat earthquakes in the South Sandwich Islands and old nuclear tests were analyzed, allowing the team to gain a clearer view of the behavior of the core.
What causes this change?
The precise causes of inner core slowdown are still unknown. Vidale suggests that the agitation of the liquid iron outer core, which is responsible for the Earth's magnetic field, and the gravitational forces of the rocky mantle could influence this change. Despite the complexity of these processes, the researchers assure that these movements do not imply an immediate risk of natural disasters.
Although the consequences of this phenomenon are subtle, The study indicates that it could affect the length of days on Earth. However, there is no cause for alarm: the change would only occur in fractions of a second, so small that they would be almost imperceptible, lost in the “noise” of the oceans and the atmosphere, according to Vidale. In other words, no need to set the clocks…Yet.
“The dance of the inner core could be even more lively than we know so far,” commented Vidale, underscoring the importance of continuing to monitor and study these geological depths. This discovery reminds us that our planet still holds many secrets to reveal, and that scientific research is essential to better understand the functioning of our cosmic home.