How do we know the Earth's core is Molten with Seismology?
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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 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
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up vote
2
down vote
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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 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
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
2 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
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 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
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 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
edited 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
edited 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
edited 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
edited 5 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
99.7k121781119
99.7k121781119
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
asked 5 hours ago
LiNKeR
144
144
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
2 hours ago
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
2 hours ago
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
2 hours ago
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
2 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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up vote
6
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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 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
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 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
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 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
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 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
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 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
answered 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
answered 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
answered 5 hours ago
Rob Jeffries
67.2k7132227
67.2k7132227
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
2 hours ago