Jakarta, Jurnas.com – Jauh di bawah permukaan Bumi, wilayah terdalam planet ini ternyata mungkin tidak sekaku yang selama puluhan tahun diasumsikan para ilmuwan.

Hasil eksperimen ‍laboratorium terbaru menunjukkan bahwa inti dalam⁤ Bumi bisa bersifat⁣ padat sekaligus memiliki unsur mobilitas halus, sebuah temuan yang mengubah cara kita memahami struktur terdalam planet ini.

Selama ini, model ⁤klasik ‌menggambarkan inti dalam Bumi sebagai bola besi padat yang ⁤sangat kaku. Namun rekaman gempa bumi ​telah lama memberikan⁢ petunjuk aneh. Gelombang seismik tertentu memang menembus inti ⁢dalam, tetapi⁢ kecepatannya lebih lambat dari

Scientists Recreate Earth’s Core conditions, Confirming ‘Superionic’ iron Behaviour

A team of researchers at the Southern​ University of Science and technology​ (SCU) in Shenzhen, China, has successfully simulated the extreme pressures and temperatures of Earth’s inner core in a laboratory ⁤setting. their findings, published this week, provide the ⁢first⁢ direct experimental evidence supporting the theory that ​iron alloys⁤ within the core‌ exist in a “superionic” state – a condition previously predicted only by computer ⁣simulations.

This superionic state allows lighter atoms, like carbon, ‌to​ move freely ‌within the rigidly structured iron lattice. Essentially,the iron remains solid,but the lighter elements behave almost like a liquid,softening the material without ‍causing it to melt.

“This superionic state drastically reduces ​the stiffness ‍of the alloy,” explained lead researcher‍ Dr.Yang Zhang.⁢ Experiments at SCU showed a 23%⁤ reduction in shear wave velocity,⁣ and a Poisson’s ratio – a key elasticity parameter – closely matching​ values observed in global seismic data.

The research marks ⁢the first time laboratory results have directly demonstrated that ⁤iron-carbon alloys under inner core conditions can exhibit the vrey low shear wave velocities detected by seismographs around the world.

However, the ⁣researchers acknowledge limitations. The ‍pressures achieved in the ‌experiment – around 280 gigapascals – are still lower than the 330+ ‌gigapascals found‍ in Earth’s actual inner core. Furthermore, the rapid compression ​process used in the ⁢lab may not perfectly replicate the ⁣long-term conditions at the planet’s center.

The experiment‍ also involved a relatively small ‍sample – approximately 1.5 milligrams of iron-carbon alloy ⁤- and focused ‌on a specific carbon concentration. Future research ​will explore a wider range‌ of compositions and pressures to refine the understanding of ‍the inner core’s‌ complex behavior.

The findings offer valuable insights into the composition and dynamics of Earth’s​ deepest layers, potentially improving models ​of the planet’s magnetic field and overall evolution.

Key Findings:

• Researchers successfully​ simulated inner core conditions in a lab.
• Results support the existence of a “superionic” state in iron-carbon alloys.
• Shear wave ⁢velocity reduction of 23% was ⁢observed.
• Poisson’s ratio matched seismic data.

Source: Jurnas.com