Viscous drag and the differential rotation of the Earth's core

1997 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-233
Author(s):  
DAVID L. BOOK ◽  
J. A. VALDIVIA
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Differential Rotation ◽  
Dynamic Viscosity ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Viscous Drag ◽  
Earth’S Rotation ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core

It is proposed that the differential rotation of the Earth's inner core deduced by Song and Richards is due to a combination of the deceleration of the Earth's rotation and the viscous drag between the Earth's inner and outer cores. If this model is correct then the dynamic viscosity in the outer core of the Earth can be estimated to be μ≈104 poise. Besides providing a novel way of determining the viscosity of the core, this simple model suggests some new tests and shows how astronomical effects can influence geological phenomena.

Ups and Downs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy Livermore
Keyword(s):  
Mantle Convection ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Great Depth ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The World ◽  
The 1960S

Despite the dumbing-down of education in recent years, it would be unusual to find a ten-year-old who could not name the major continents on a map of the world. Yet how many adults have the faintest idea of the structures that exist within the Earth? Understandably, knowledge is limited by the fact that the Earth’s interior is less accessible than the surface of Pluto, mapped in 2016 by the NASA New Horizons spacecraft. Indeed, Pluto, 7.5 billion kilometres from Earth, was discovered six years earlier than the similar-sized inner core of our planet. Fortunately, modern seismic techniques enable us to image the mantle right down to the core, while laboratory experiments simulating the pressures and temperatures at great depth, combined with computer modelling of mantle convection, help identify its mineral and chemical composition. The results are providing the most rapid advances in our understanding of how this planet works since the great revolution of the 1960s.

Multiple inner core reflections from a Novaya Zemlya explosion

1972 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Nuclear Explosion ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Mantle Boundary ◽  
Core Mantle Boundary ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Core ◽  
Velocity Channel

Abstract The phases P2KP, P3KP, and P4KP are well recorded from the Novaya Zemlya nuclear explosion of October 14, 1970, with the branch AB at distances of up to 20° beyond the theoretical end point A. This extension is attributed to diffraction around the core-mantle boundary. A slowness dT/dΔ = 4.56±0.02 sec/deg is determined for the AB branch of P4KP, in excellent agreement with recent determinations of the slowness of diffracted P. This slowness implies a velocity of 13.29±0.06 km/sec at the base of the mantle, and confirms recent suggestions of a low-velocity channel above the core-mantle boundary. There is evidence that arrivals recorded before the AB branch of P2KP may lie on two branches, with different slownesses. The ratio of amplitudes of successive orders of multiple inner core reflections gives a lower bound of about 2200 for Q in the outer core.

Free spheroidal vibrations of the earth at very long periods, Part I— Calculation of periods for several earth models

1963 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard E. Alsop
Keyword(s):  
Inner Core ◽  
Computer Programs ◽  
Free Vibrations ◽  
Stoneley Waves ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earth Models ◽  
Shear Modes ◽  
Phase And Group Velocities ◽  
Group Velocities

Abstract Periods of free vibrations of the spheroidal type have been calculated numerically on an IBM 7090 for the fundamental and first two shear modes for periods greater than about two hundred seconds. Calculations were made for four different earth models. Phase and group velocities were also computed and are tabulated herein for the first two shear modes. The behavior of particle motions for different modes is discussed. In particular, particle motions for the two shear modes indicate that they behave in some period ranges like Stoneley waves tied to the core-mantle interface. Calculations have been made also for a model which presumes a solid inner core and will be discussed in Part II. The two computer programs which were made for these calculations are described briefly.

Constraints on core composition from shock-waves data

1982 ◽  
Vol 306 (1492) ◽  
pp. 37-47 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Equations Of State ◽  
Liquid Core ◽  
Light Element ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Atomic Ratio ◽  
Core Material ◽  
Solar Photosphere ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Core Composition

Seismic data demonstrate that the density of the liquid core is some 8-10 % less than pure iron. Equations of state of Fe-Si, C, FeS 2 , FeS, KFeS 2 and FeO, over the pressure interval 133-364 GPa and a range of possible core temperatures (3500- 5000 K), can be used to place constraints on the cosmochemically plausible light element constituents of the core (Si, C, S, K and O ). The seismically derived density profile allows from 14 to 20 % Si (by mass) in the outer core. The inclusion of Si, or possibly G (up to 11 %), in the core is possible if the Earth accreted inhomogeneously within a region of the solar nebulae in which a C :0 (atomic) ratio of about 1 existed, compared with a G : O ratio of 0.6 for the present solar photosphere. In contrast, homogeneous accretion permits Si, but not C, to enter the core by means of reduction of silicates to metallic Fe-Si core material during the late stages of the accumulation of the Earth. The data from the equation of state for the iron sulphides allow up to 9-13 % S in the core. This composition would provide the entire Earth with a S:Si ratio in the range 0.14-0.3, comparable with meteoritic and cosmic abundances. Shock-wave data for KFeS 2 give little evidence for an electronic phase change from 4s to 3d orbitals, which has been suggested to occur in K, and allow the Earth to store a cosmic abundance of K in the metallic core.

3. Minerals and the interior of the Earth

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Vaughan
Keyword(s):  
Upper Mantle ◽  
Lower Mantle ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Granite Formation ◽  
Temperature And Pressure

‘Minerals and the interior of the Earth’ looks at the role of minerals in plate tectonics during the processes of crystallization and melting. The size and range of minerals formed are dependent on the temperature and pressure of the magma during its movement through the crust. The evolution of the continental crust also involves granite formation and processes of metamorphism. Our understanding of the interior of the Earth is based on indirect evidence, mainly the study of earthquake waves. The Earth consists of concentric shells: a solid inner core; liquid outer core; a solid mantle divided into a lower mantle, a transition zone, and an upper mantle; and then the outer rigid lithosphere.

scholarly journals Spin rotation, Chandler wobble and free core nutation of isolated multi-layer pulsars

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S291) ◽  
pp. 392-392
Author(s):  
Alexander Gusev ◽  
Irina Kitiashvili
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Differential Rotation ◽  
Heat Dissipation ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Chandler Wobble ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Layer Model ◽  
Free Core Nutation ◽  
Rotation Pole

AbstractAt present time there are investigations of precession and nutation for very different celestial multi-layer bodies: the Earth (Getino 1995), Moon (Gusev 2010), planets of Solar system (Gusev 2010) and pulsars (Link et al. 2007). The long-periodic precession phenomenon was detected for few pulsars: PSR B1828-11, PSR B1557-50, PSR 2217+47, PSR 0531+21, PSR B0833-45, and PSR B1642-03. Stairs, Lyne & Shemar (2000) have found that the arrival-time residuals from PSR B1828-11 vary periodically with a different periods. According to our model, the neutron star has the rigid crust (RC), the fluid outer core (FOC) and the solid inner core (SIC). The model explains generation of four modes in the rotation of the pulsar: two modes of Chandler wobble (CW, ICW) and two modes connecting with free core nutation (FCN, FICN) (Gusev & Kitiashvili 2008). We are propose the explanation for all harmonics of Time of Arrival (TOA) pulses variations as precession of a neutron star owing to differential rotation of RC, FOC and crystal SIC of the pulsar PSR B1828-11: 250, 500, 1000 days. We used canonical method for interpretation TOA variations by Chandler Wobble (CW) and Free Core Nutation (FCN) of pulsar.The two - layer model can explain occurrence twin additional fashions in rotation pole motion of a NS: CW and FCN. In the frame of the three-layer model we investigate the free rotation of dynamically-symmetrical PSR by Hamilton methods. Correctly extending theory of SIC-FOC-RC differential rotation for neutron star, we investigated dependence CW, ICW, FCN and FICN periods from flatness of different layers of pulsar.Our investigation showed that interaction between rigid crust, RIC and LOC can be characterized by four modes of periodic variations of rotation pole: CW, retrograde Free Core Nutation (FCN), prograde Free Inner Core Nutation (FICN) and Inner Core Wobble (ICW). In the frame of the three-layer model we proposed the explanation for all pulse fluctuations by differential rotation crust, outer core and inner core of the neutron star and received estimations of dynamical flattening of the pulsar inner and outer cores, including the heat dissipation. We have offered the realistic model of the dynamical pulsar structure and two explanations of the feature of flattened of the crust, the outer core and the inner core of the pulsar.

scholarly journals Teleseismic correlations of ambient seismic noise for deep global imaging of the Earth

2013 ◽  
Vol 194 (2) ◽  
pp. 844-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Boué ◽  
P. Poli ◽  
M. Campillo ◽  
H. Pedersen ◽  
X. Briand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Noise ◽  
Ambient Noise ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Ambient Seismic Noise ◽  
Core Mantle Boundary ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earthquake Data

Abstract We present here a global analysis showing that wave paths probing the deepest part of the Earth can be obtained from ambient noise records. Correlations of seismic noise recorded at sensors located various distances apart provide new virtual seismograms for paths that are not present in earthquake data. The main arrivals already known for earthquake data are also present in teleseismic correlations sections, including waves that have propagated through the Earth's core. We present examples of applications of such teleseismic correlations to lithospheric imaging, study of the core mantle boundary or of the anisotropy of the inner core.

scholarly journals On shear wave velocity in the top of the Earth’s inner core

2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-438
Author(s):  
D. N. Krasnoshchekov ◽  
V. M. Ovtchinnikov ◽  
O. A. Usoltseva
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Solid Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Inner Surface ◽  
Core Boundary ◽  
Standard Models ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core

Analysis of PKIIKP waves reflected off the inner surface of the solid core boundary and recorded close to the antipode indicates the shear wave velocity in its top can be by 10-60% below 3.5 km/s envisaged by standard models of the Earth.

Analytical Evaluation of Core Bowing Reactivity in the 4S Reactor

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Nishimura ◽  
Hirokazu Ohta ◽  
Nobuyuki Ueda
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Radial Displacement ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Radial Expansion ◽  
Neutron Absorption ◽  
Analytical Evaluation ◽  
Life Condition ◽  
The Core

The 4S (super-safe, small and simple) reactor is a sodium-cooled small fast reactor. The core reactivity is controlled by moving the reflectors installed around the core, and the reactor has a fixed absorber at the core center to accomplish a long core lifetime. To evaluate core bowing behavior and the resulting reactivity feedback in the 4S reactor, an analytical evaluation was conducted under various core power to flow ratios (P/F). The core bowing reactivity under the BOC (beginning of core life) condition becomes increasingly negative with increasing P/F up to 2.0, then becomes less negative with increasing P/F from 2.0 to 3.0, and finally becomes positive at P/F = 3.0. The bowing reactivity under the EOC (end of core life) condition becomes increasingly negative with increasing P/F up to 1.5, then becomes less negative then positive with increasing P/F from 1.5 to 3.0; the core bowing reactivity is positive when P/F ≥ 2.0. These results are mainly caused by the following two mechanisms originating from the structural characteristics of the 4S reactor: - a decrease in neutron absorption by the fixed absorber due to the radial displacement of the inner core subassemblies (under the BOC condition); - a decrease in neutron streaming caused by the small gaps between the outer core subassemblies and the reflectors due to core radial expansion (under the EOC condition).

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