Tag Archives: earth

New insights about carbon and ice could clarify inner workings of Earth, other planets

Most people behave differently when under extreme pressure. Carbon and ice are no different.

Two new studies show how these key planetary ingredients take on exotic forms that could help researchers better understand the composition of Earth’s core as well as the cores of planets across the galaxy. Craig Manning, a UCLA professor of geology and geochemistry, is a co-senior author of one of the papers, which was published in the journal Nature, and senior author of the other, which was published in Nature Communications in February. (more…)

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Yosemite granite “tells a different story” about Earth’s geologic history

Washington, DC — A team of scientists including Carnegie’s Michael Ackerson and Bjørn Mysen revealed that granites from Yosemite National Park contain minerals that crystallized at much lower temperatures than previously thought possible. This finding upends scientific understanding of how granites form and what they can teach us about our planet’s geologic history. Their work is published in Nature (more…)

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Research resolves a debate over ‘killer electrons’ in space

Findings by UCLA-led team hold promise for new ways to protect telecommunication and navigation satellites

New findings by a UCLA-led international team of researchers answer a fundamental question about our space environment and will help scientists develop methods to protect valuable telecommunication and navigation satellites. The research is published in the journal Nature Communications. (more…)

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What did Earth’s ancient magnetic field look like?

Washington, DC — New work from Carnegie’s Peter Driscoll suggests Earth’s ancient magnetic field was significantly different than the present day field, originating from several poles rather than the familiar two. It is published in Geophysical Research Letters. (more…)

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Consistency of Earth’s magnetic field history surprises scientists

Washington, D.C.—Earth’s magnetic field is generated by the motion of liquid iron in the planet’s core. This “geodynamo” occasionally reverses its polarity—the magnetic north and south poles swap places. The switch occurs over a few thousand years, and the time between reversals can vary from some tens of thousands to tens of millions of years. (more…)

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