AS THE EARTH'S CORE SPINS - NOW WE KNOW HOW FAST AND IN WHAT DIRECTION

A 300-year-old riddle finally solved: Earth's inner core spins in an eastward direction at a faster rate than the planet's surface.

This is the first time the spin of inner core has been linked to the outer core

Scientists claim force responsible for pushing core will change over time

Findings could help scientists better understand our planet’s magnetic field

In the scientists' new model the Earth's inner core, made up of solid iron, 'superrotates' in an eastward direction – meaning it spins faster than the rest of the planet.

 

Meanwhile the outer core, made up of mainly molten iron, spins westwards at a slower pace.

 

The researchers at Leeds University claim the planet behaves in this way because it is responding to the Earth's geomagnetic field.

 

'The magnetic field pushes eastwards on the inner core, causing it to spin faster than the Earth, but it also pushes in the opposite direction in the liquid outer core, which creates a westward motion.’

 

The solid iron inner core is about the size of the Moon. It is surrounded by the liquid outer core, an iron alloy, whose movement generates the geomagnetic field.

 

Although the inner core is 5,200km beneath our feet, the effect of its presence is especially important on Earth's surface.In particular, as the inner core grows, the heat released during solidification drives convection in the fluid in the outer core.

 

This convection generates our geomagnetic field.Without our magnetic field, the surface would not be protected from solar radiation, and life on Earth would not be able to exist.

 

The fact that the Earth's internal magnetic field changes slowly, over a timescale of decades, means that the electromagnetic force responsible for pushing the inner and outer cores will itself change over time, claims Leeds University.

 

This, they believe, may explain fluctuations in the eastwards rotation of the inner core.

Read more and see diagrams - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2423629/A-300-year-old-riddle-finally-solved-Earths-inner-core-spins-eastward-direction-faster-rate-planets-surface.html

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