Mantle Map The Earth Understand Volcano

A group of scientists recently initiated a program of mapping the Earth's mantle, a layer of earth that lies between the earth's crust and core. Andy Nowacki, a geophysicist from the University of Bristol, UK who are involved in coat mapping program, said the study has been very helpful in understanding the volcanic activity and earthquakes.

Why map the coat can help to understand volcanoes and earthquakes? Coat layer is a dense layer having a thickness of approximately 2800 km. Although dense, this layer can move slowly because it has a high temperature. When this layer moves, then the existing tectonic layer on it also moves. Tectonic plate movement that occurs is a potentially increased volcanic activity and cause earthquakes.

At present, experts have learned how North geophysical material in the mantle layer to move and affect the movement of tectonic plates that are therein. However, what happens at the bottom of the mantle layer is still a mystery. Knowing what happens to the layers above and below the coat will enable to predict how the Earth's surface activity in the long term.

Coat mapping program itself will be done with a tool called Seismic CAT Scan. The tool is capable of using X-rays to show the image of the inside layer of earth at the same time it detects motion in the earth using seismic waves. "We'll map out each area of the mantle layer in detail," said Nowacki.

Michael Bergman from Bard College in response to the plan. He reveals, "This tool will not help us predict which occurred at volcanoes in Indonesia, but the larger goal. We're going to understand how heat flows, the structure of the earth's mantle and core structure. In addition, we will also understand about plate tectonics better. " Today, the mantle structure and mechanisms that occur in the lower mantle is unknown.

Bergman also said that for a coat mewujdkan map into reality, it takes a good seismic network in every region of the world. At the moment the earthquake struck, for example, he said that the scene of the earthquake must have seismometers that can record seismic waves at the time. Currently, only a few areas that have a seismograph.

Currently, the tool has been tested to assess Nowacki coat layer that is in North and Central America. Nowacki hope that in the next decade, he could use it in all places. Reviews about the plan published in the journal Nature last October 28, 2010.