How diamonds help geologists understand ultra-deep earthquakes

According to most geophysical theories, earthquakes should not occur more than 300 kilometers below the surface of the Earth. However, this is a regular event that has puzzled seismologists for decades.

Researchers now believe that water transported by tectonic plates being pushed under the continents may cause these deep tremors. This discovery may also explain why so many fist-sized diamonds grow at such depths.

(Photo: Pixabay)

earthquakes

(Image: Masterpress/Getty Images)

When two sides of a fault, or opposing sides of a tectonic plate boundary, cross each other, earthquakes occur. However, the pressures under our planet’s surface are too great for such a slip, and often the rocks are so hot that they ooze and flow rather than crack. As a result, geophysicists have devised various explanations for deep seismic activity, which may be too strong but generally too remote for humans to detect.

Metal loses its volume

One theory is that under the intense heat and pressure deep beneath the globe, some minerals may suddenly lose their volume, leading to widespread collapse and severe earthquakes.

Another theory is that once the tremor begins—due to a sudden breakdown of minerals or another cause—the rocks at the tip of the rupture heat up and weaken further, fueling the earthquake.

A third factor may be water draining from the depths of the rock, which can weaken nearby stones and allow them to break more easily. However, this theory has been widely ruled out by scientists because it is unclear where this water might originate.

Carnegie Institution for Science geochemist Stephen Sherry had a hunch: diamonds. As precious gemstones increase in size, they may accumulate layers in which imperfections such as specks from surrounding minerals may accumulate. Pockets of mineral-rich water can also be found in these so-called terraces.

Related Article: What Exactly Causes Mysterious Deep Earthquakes?

deep water

Sherry and his colleagues studied how water could find its way to the depths to determine if the idea would work. They think the solution is that it travels through tectonic plates when it is pushed under the continents. They believe that there are three sources of water.

One reason was that the water was trapped in minerals that arose when molten rock froze at the mid-ocean ridges. Another factor was the buildup of wet sediments on the plates as they traveled across the ocean floor. The third factor was ocean water, which seeped through the plates during twisting and splitting.

The scientists then studied how the minerals in those plates interact as they travel deeper and deeper using computer models and the results of previous lab investigations by their team and others.

Temperature and pressure rise with increasing depth within the Earth. The plates begin to cool at the surface of the earth, but as they sink, they warm up. And because the plates are so thick, it can take millions of years to heat them evenly.

making diamonds

(Photo: Courtesy of the Gemological Institute of America.)

Sherry and his team discovered that once the rocks in the slabs reach temperatures above 580 degrees Celsius, they cannot contain water, regardless of depth. Sherry and colleagues write at AGU Advances that when water rushed off the slab, it eroded surrounding rock and triggered earthquakes. This water, which is often rich in dissolved minerals, can be used to promote diamond formation.

“Temperature tells the tale,” adds Douglas Wiens, a seismologist at Washington University in St. Louis, who was not involved in the current study.

He claims that if the tectonic plate starts to get hot, as if the rocks were young, the plate would dry up at depths of 100 to 250 kilometers, and thus would not carry water far enough to cause deep earthquakes.

However, if the sinkhole rock is old and relatively cold, the water will remain trapped inside for much longer, continuing until it is drained at depths of 300-500 km or more.

Create links

Wiens believes that more research in the lab and in the field is needed to properly understand the links between water drained from sinking plates and deep earthquakes. In the meantime, he claims, diamonds formed at such depths, flaws and all, will obviously be crucial to revealing the details of the story.

Read also: Scientists solve the mystery of the earthquake that lasted 32 years!

For more news about natural disasters, do not forget to follow the news of the world of nature!

© 2021 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos