Lubricating Rock Trigger Earthquakes

The marine geology researchers from the University of California found that lubricants rock had lubricate the movement of tectonic plates that cause earthquakes. Not only affects the earthquake, these materials are also involved in the phenomenon of volcanic explosions. The study is published in the journal Nature.

For decades scientists have debated the forces and circumstances that allow the planet's tectonic plates to slide across the earth's mantle. Studies have shown that dissolved water in mantle minerals results in a more ductile mantle that would facilitate tectonic plate motions, but for many years clear images and data required to confirm or deny this idea were lacking. (Picture from: http://www.terradaily.com/)

Lubricant rock is melted rock that is located in the Earth's mantle layer. The material is a liquid foundation that makes shifting tectonic plates horizontally. "It lies at the confluence of the plate makes this material is important in understanding the geological activity," said Kerry Key, researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California.

The study was conducted as a team of experts to follow marine expedition across the Central American trench off the coast of Nicaragua in 2010. They mapped the sea floor and the layers beneath it using a new technique discovered by Scripps researchers.

The device consists of an electromagnetic wave catcher held on the seabed. The sensor is very sensitive to the instrument detect vibrations produced natural movement of the earth's crust and mantle. The data they collect is sent back to the research vessel Melville.

The orange colored area enclosed by a dashed line denotes a magma layer that scientists believe is facilitating the motion of the Cocos plate off Nicaragua. The blue areas represent the Cocos plate sliding across the mantle and eventually diving beneath the Central American continent, while the black dots signify earthquake locations. The discovery was made by analyzing data collected by an array of seafloor electromagnetic instruments, shown as inverted triangles. (Picture from: http://www.natureworldnews.com/)

Through wave catcher tool, researchers can look like a "see-through" to a depth of 25 kilometers below the seabed. At this depth, the researchers saw a thick layer of molten rock, which support the Cocos plate, place of establishment of the Central American mainland.

"What is rock melting-boggling," he said. Prior to this discovery, the researchers argue about the cause of the length of plate movement in the Earth's mantle. One theory put forward is the seepage of water into the mantle minerals can turn into clay. This is a pave layer of plate movement. Over the years, investigators never found evidence to confirm or undermine this theory.

According to Key, the researchers did not find the presence of water to soften the coat. Lubricants plate, he said, produced by melting of mantle that is tough and quite slippery, and causes a horizontal shift. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 4177]

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