EPS 50: Lecture 18
Earths Interior
Using seismic waves
The structure of the Earth
Deep dynamics
Why Explore the Deep Earth?
Better understand the
structure and dynamics
of earth
Determine the driving
forces of plate tectonics
Exploration of
subsurface resources
Detection / monitoring
of nuclear or other
explosive subsurface
testing
Source of Earths
magnetic properties
1
EPS 50: Lecture 18
Earths Interior
Using seismic waves
The structure of the Earth
Deep dynamics
Why Use Seismic Waves?
Earthquakes provide a strong
natural source of seismic
waves
Seismic velocity depends on
the material composition,
density and ambient pressure
When waves move from one
type of material to another
they change speed and
direction
2
Body Wave Types
P waves: pressure / primary
waves propagate through
fluids
S waves: shear / secondary
waves do not go through
fluids
Vp > Vs
Reflection and Refraction of Seismic Waves
Snells Law
V1 / V2 = sin(1) / sin(2)
1 2
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snell's_law
3
Seismic Reflection Exploration
Seismic wave bounce off
(reflect) or are bend
(refract) at discontinuities
reflecting major changes in
rock properties such as
rock density
time
Manmade sources (explosions)
are not big enough to penetrate
much below the crust BUT
earthquakes provide strong nature
sources of seismic waves
distance
Refraction in the Earth
Formation of shadow zones
4
Wave Arrivals
Direct P & S
Surface reflected PP
Core reflected PcP
Outer Core refracted PKP
Core refracted PKIKP
etc. etc.
Wave Propagation Through the Mantle
Direct P & S
Surface reflected PP
Core reflected PcP
Outer Core refracted PKP
Core refracted PKIKP
Etc. etc.
5
Seismic Wave Velocities
Velocity depends on:
Rock density / rigidity
Vs = sqrt ( / )
Temperature
Viscous component
We can estimate rock density
and temperature from
seismic wave propagation
durations
If we have data from many
sources that is collected at
many stations, we can
determine the velocity
structure (and estimate
density and temperature) of
the deep Earth
Deducing the Structure of the Earth
1906 First attempts to use seismic waves
to infer the structure of the whole Earth
Robert Oldham
1909 Seismic evidence for a discontinuity
between the crust and mantle now called
the Moho
Andrija Mohorovii
1912 Precise depth to the core
Beno Gutenberg
1926 Fluid outer core
Sir Harold Jeffreys
1936 Discovery of solid inner core
Inge Lehmann
6
The 1D Structure of the Earth
Crust: ~570 km, intermediate
composition
(Vp 3-6.5 km/s, 2.8 - 3.2 g/cm3)
MOHO discontinuity
Mantle: down to ~2900 km, mafic
composition
(Vp = 8-14 km/s, 3.3-6.1 g/cm3)
Outer core: to ~5200 km, liquid iron
Inner core: to ~6400 km, solid iron
Earths Internal Heat
Temperature Profile Constrained by Geophysical Data
20-40C/km
original heat conductive
occasional impact
subsequent radioactive
decay 0.5 C/km
convective
conduction
convection
Estimates differ
by > 1000 C !
7
EPS 50: Lecture 18
Earths Interior
Using seismic waves
The structure of the Earth
Deep dynamics
Mantle Tomography: From 1D to 3D
8
Mantle Tomography
Subduction to the Very Bottom!
High P and S velocities
indicate E-dipping
cold/dense body
The slab penetrates to
the core-mantle
boundary, (partially)
solving one of the major
controversies about
mantle convection
Provides important input
to computer models of
Earth Geodynamics
P. Shearer, UCSD
9
EPS 50: Lecture 18
Earths Interior
Using seismic waves
The structure of the Earth
Deep dynamics
Dynamics of the Earths Interior
Mantle rocks can flow Plate tectonics is the surface
expression of mantle
convection
Mantle rock properties allow
for convection
The magnetic field is the
Convection serves to expression of flow and
transport heat convection in the core
cooling
Hot = Up
Cold = Down
heating
10
All Rocks Flow .. Given Enough Time
Visco-elastic (silly
putty) properties of
crustal and mantle
rocks
Does NOT require
melt, but temperature
is a major factor in
decreasing viscosity
All Rocks Flow Given Enough Time
Heat can be transported via
conduction and convection
Buoyancy forces (density variations
due to temperature differences) drive
mantle convection
Convection is significantly more
effective at transporting heat up ot
Earths surface
11
Two Models of Mantle Convection
Single cell Layered
convection convection
- Heatflow?
- Chemsitry?
- Tectonic effects?
Cold Downwellings, Hot Upwellings
S. Zhong, MIT
12
Its Just Like a Lava Lamp
A Lava Lamp Model for the Deep
Earth
Richard A. Kerr
Science Magazin (March, 1999)
Lava lamps [are] back, not only with the
'70s revival but in the thinking of
geophysicists who ponder the mantle, the
vast layer of viscous rock between Earth's
molten iron core and the outer shell of
tectonic plates. Seismologists and
modelers offer a new model that ... might
best be described [as] a lava lamp on
low. Just as a lava lamp's heat causes a Louise Kellogg
complex patterns without mixing, so in et al., 1999
this model Earth's radiogenic heat--
abetted by plunging tectonic plates--
causes the bottom mantle layer to vary
markedly in thickness... A very deep rock
layer, from 1700 kilometers or so down to
the base of the mantle at 2900 kilometers,
remains intact.
And A Few Frozen Plates On Top
Ultimately due to convection of the mantle
But how does convection transmit stresses to
drive motion of plates
Friction at base of the lithosphere transfers
energy from the asthenosphere to the
lithosphere
13
