The composition of the deep shells of the Earth continues to be one of the most intriguing questions of modern science, and yet at the beginning of the 20th century, seismologists Beno Gutenberg and G. Jefferson developed a model of the internal structure of our planet, according to which the Earth consists of the following layers:
- core;
- mantle;
- Earth's crust.
A modern look at the internal structure of the planet
In the middle of the last century, on the basis of recent seismological data, scientists came to the conclusion that deep shells have a more complex structure. At the same time, seismologists found that the earth's core is divided into internal and external, and the mantle consists of two layers: upper and lower.
Outer shell of the earth
The earth’s crust is not only the uppermost, the thinnest, but also the best studied of all layers of the earth’s surface. Its thickness (thickness) reaches a maximum mark under the mountains (about 70 km) and minimum - under the waters of the oceans (5-10 km), the average thickness of the earth's crust under the plains ranges from 35 to 40 km. The transition from the earth's crust to the mantle is called the boundary of Mohorovich or Moho.
It is also worth noting that the earth's crust together with the upper part of the mantle form the stone shell of the Earth - the lithosphere, the thickness of which varies from 50 to 200 km.
Next to the lithosphere is the asthenosphere - a softened liquid layer with high viscosity. In addition to everything, it is this component of the earth’s surface that is called the source of volcanism, since it contains foci of magma flowing into the earth’s crust and surface.
In science, it is customary to distinguish several types of the earth's crust
Continental or continental spreads within the boundaries of continents and shelves, consists of basalt, granite-geysov and sedimentary layers. The transition of the granite-geys layer to the basalt is called the Conrad border.
Oceanic also consists of three parts: heavy basalt, a layer of basaltic lavas and dense sedimentary rocks and a layer of loose sedimentary rocks.
The sub-continental crust is a transitional type located on the periphery of the inland and marginal seas, as well as under island arcs.
The suboceanic crust is similar in structure to the oceanic crust, it is especially well developed on the territory of the deep-sea parts of the seas and at great depths of oceanic trenches.
Middle geosphere
The mantle is about 83% of the total planet’s volume;
it is the geosphere that surrounds the earth’s core from all sides.
In turn, it is divided into two layers: hard (crystalline) and soft (magma).
The deepest layer of planet Earth
The Earth's core is the most poorly studied layer of the Earth. There is very little reliable information about it, with full confidence we can only say that its diameter is about 7 thousand kilometers. It is believed that the composition of the earth's core includes an alloy of nickel and iron. It is also worth noting that the outer core of the planet has a large thickness and is in a liquid state of aggregation, while the inner one is smaller in thickness and harder in consistency. The so-called Guttenberg border separates the earth's core from the mantle.