Cartoon cross section of the Earth (IMAGE)
Caption
Cartoon cross section of the Earth showing the mantle, outer core and inner core. Convection in the outer core produces Earth's geomagnetic field.
The properties of Earth’s iron-rich core are key to understanding our planet’s deep interior, from its temperature to the way it generates the global magnetic field. The core’s exact chemistry remains unknown, but new research suggests that the process which triggered the freezing of the solid inner core from the surrounding liquid outer core could reveal its composition and shed light on its mysterious properties.
Image credit: Dr Alfred Wilson
Credit
Dr Alfred Wilson
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