What is the mass of Earth's mantle?
Earth's mantle has a mass of 5.972 × 10^24 kilograms. This mass represents 67% of the total mass of Earth.
Questions about Earth's mantle
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Mohorovičić discontinuity first identified?
The Mohorovičić discontinuity was first noted by Andrija Mohorovičić on the 19th of November 1909. This boundary marks the top of the mantle and is defined by a sudden increase in seismic velocity.
How deep does the lower mantle extend?
The lower mantle extends from approximately 660 kilometers to 2,885 kilometers deep. This region contains stable minerals such as bridgmanite and post-perovskite.
Where is the transition zone located within Earth's mantle?
The transition zone is located between 410 kilometers and 660 kilometers deep within Earth's mantle. This zone is where wadsleyite and ringwoodite are stable minerals.
What year did Project Mohole end?
Project Mohole was abandoned in 1966 after repeated failures and cost over-runs. The deepest penetration achieved during this project was approximately 183 meters.
How much water might be stored in Earth's mantle?
The transition zone may host a large quantity of water potentially containing more water than all the oceans combined. This water exists as hydroxyl groups bound within the crystal structure of minerals.