Scientists have long sought to unlock the mysteries of Earth’s mantle, the massive layer beneath our feet. This layer is crucial, making up about 70% of the planet’s mass. However, getting to it is challenging, as it lies about 9 to 12 miles deep in the crust.
Recent drilling efforts, however, are changing the game. In May 2023, researchers aboard the JOIDES Resolution, a research vessel funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, successfully extracted a core from the mantle. This core reached a depth of 1,268 meters, making it the deepest sample taken yet. The area, near the Atlantis Massif and the Lost City hydrothermal field, has rock types that could shed light on the origins of life on Earth.
These rocks, mainly abyssal peridotites, are formed when mantle rock interacts with seawater. This process, known as “serpentinization,” alters the rock’s structure while giving it a striking green, marble-like appearance. Johan Lissenberg, a petrologist involved in the study, noted that the drilling went faster than expected. The team had initially aimed for just 200 meters, but the easier-than-anticipated conditions led them much deeper.
Preliminary results show the core contains harzburgite, a type of peridotite formed by partial melting, along with gabbros, which are coarse-grained igneous rocks. These findings could provide valuable information about Earth’s geologic processes and even the conditions that fostered early life.
Despite this achievement, researchers have not yet reached the Mohorovičić discontinuity, or Moho, the true boundary between the crust and the pristine mantle. Future missions may continue exploring the area, but funding for further deep drilling is uncertain.
This expedition highlights our growing understanding of Earth’s layers and hints at future discoveries that could further unravel the mysteries of our planet.
For more information on geological explorations and their implications, visit Science Magazine.
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Atlantis Massif, mantle rock, upper mantle, geologic processes, Mohorovičić discontinuity, JOIDES Resolution, Scientists
