Earth's Crust Missing In Mid-Atlantic

[michaels]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070301103112.htm
Bush did it

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Source: Cardiff University
Date: March 2, 2007
More on:
Geology, Earth Science, Oceanography, Near-Earth Object Impacts, Earthquakes, Chemistry
Earth's Crust Missing In Mid-Atlantic

Science Daily ? Cardiff University scientists will shortly set sail (March 5) to investigate a startling discovery in the depths of the Atlantic.

A drill will be used to extract samples of the exposed mantle. (Credit: Image courtesy of Cardiff University)

Scientists have discovered a large area thousands of square kilometres in extent in the middle of the Atlantic where the Earth?s crust appears to be missing. Instead, the mantle - the deep interior of the Earth, normally covered by crust many kilometres thick - is exposed on the seafloor, 3000m below the surface.

Marine geologist Dr Chris MacLeod, School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences said: "This discovery is like an open wound on the surface of the Earth. Was the crust never there? Was it once there but then torn away on huge geological faults? If so, then how and why?"

To answer some of these questions Dr MacLeod with a team of scientists, led by marine geophysicist Professor Roger Searle, Durham University, will travel to the area which lies mid-way between the Cape Verde Islands and the Caribbean.

The expedition will be the inaugural research cruise of a new UK research ship RRS James Cook. The team intends to use sonars to image the seafloor and then take rock cores using a robotic seabed drill. The samples will provide a rare opportunity to gain insights into the workings of the mantle deep below the surface of the Earth.

Progress of the cruise can be monitored via a live web link to the ship: http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/classroom@sea/JC007/

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Cardiff University.

 

[herkulease]

since you already blamed Bush, I blame Global Warming.

 

[irishScott]

Cool. Wouldn't it be hot as sh!t down there though?

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: herkulease
since you already blamed Bush, I blame Global Warming.

I blame PETA.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: herkulease
since you already blamed Bush, I blame Global Warming.

I blame PETA.

Blame Canada

 

[AaronB]

One way or another it was the fault of humans and we should all end ourselves.

 

[Stumps]

Originally posted by: AaronB
One way or another it was the fault of humans and we should all end ourselves.

you go first.

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: herkulease
since you already blamed Bush, I blame Global Warming.

I blame PETA.

Blame Canada

I blame you.

 

[Bootprint]

Cardiff, hmm, the doctor show be showing up soon.

 

[potato28]

:Q I say aliens stole it. Along with our atmosphere too.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: herkulease
since you already blamed Bush, I blame Global Warming.

I blame PETA.

Blame Canada

Blame Iraq.

 

[spidey07]

*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Everyone wants to go on a cruise. :laugh:

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Um, what's wrong with it?

 

[IronWing]

No sensationalism in that press release, no, not there, nope.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Um, what's wrong with it?

Their "alarming" discovery is how the crust and major fault lines work. This is where the BS meter went through the roof...

"This discovery is like an open wound on the surface of the Earth."

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Um, what's wrong with it?

Their "alarming" discovery is how the crust and major fault lines work.

Yes, but standard understanding of how the continents move did not include an enormous area of the Earth's crust simply not existing. Thousands of square kilometers just not there? In 4th grade science, the explanation was "The earth's crust is everywhere, and the plates just move around"

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Um, what's wrong with it?

Their "alarming" discovery is how the crust and major fault lines work. This is where the BS meter went through the roof...

"This discovery is like an open wound on the surface of the Earth."

http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/classroom@sea/JC007/about.html

It's the very words of the research crew going out there.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: spidey07
*sigh*

I was taught how the continents move in like 4th grade. Apparently 4th grade science is above this article.

Um, what's wrong with it?

Their "alarming" discovery is how the crust and major fault lines work.

Yes, but standard understanding of how the continents move did not include an enormous area of the Earth's crust simply not existing. Thousands of square kilometers just not there? In 4th grade science, the explanation was "The earth's crust is everywhere, and the plates just move around"

They found an area of peridotite instead of basalt. This is not shocking news. It is worth investigating certainly, but the language used was silly. New crust forms at the ridges, usually in the form of basalt. In this case, apparantly, the rock is a peridotite, a rock thought to be more like the bulk mantle then the lighter basalt.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: potato28
:Q I say Carmen Sandiego stole it. Along with our atmosphere too.

Fixed

 

[Rubycon]

Let's just hope there are no volcanic activities below.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Amused
http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/classroom@sea/JC007/about.html

It's the very words of the research crew going out there.

And that's the problem with propoganda. One must be intelligent enough to sift through it.

This is good research. But the "open wound" BS is more than over the top. An open wound closes, not widens as it does on a fault. See these pretty mountains? They're like a gaping open wound on mother earth and we're gonna get to the bottom of it!

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: ironwing
They found an area of peridotite instead of basalt. This is not shocking news. It is worth investigating certainly, but the language used was silly. New crust forms at the ridges, usually in the form of basalt. In this case, apparantly, the rock is a peridotite, a rock thought to be more like the bulk mantle then the lighter basalt.

Ok, that's what I was wondering.

Is it still a perfectly solid "crust," except that this large section of it just happens to be made of material normally found in the mantle?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I borrowed it for a 4th grade science project and forgot to return it. Sorry, my bad.

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn
Let's just hope there are no volcanic activities below.

lol, no kidding. It would give a whole new meaning to the phrase "boiling the ocean"