Earth’s core may have reversed its spin

Earth’s spinning core may have started to rotate in the opposite direction, according to scientists at Peking University in Beijing


COMPOSITION OF OUR PLANET

Upper mantle ≈600km

Crust ≈5km-100km thick

Lower mantle ≈2,200km

Outer core ≈2,200km
liquefied iron and nickel (2,700-4,200°C)

Inner core ≈1,200km (to centre)
Solid ball of iron and nickel (5,430°C – as hot as our Sun)

About 70% size of Moon

12,756km (at equator)


EARTHQUAKES

By analysing seismic waves caused by earthquakes, and how they travel through Earth, scientists have been able to see “gradual turning-back of inner core”

Earthquake
Seismic monitoring station


ROTATION
Core has been rotating in same direction as Earth, known as super-rotation, but may be starting to reverse – sub-rotation

70-YEAR OSCILLATION

Core
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050


Sources: Euronews, New York Times, BBC, Nature Geoscience
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