NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — Geochemists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the California Institute of Technology have conducted research that could change our understanding of the origin and evolution of our planet.
According to an article published in the journal Nature, scientists have discovered record concentrations of the helium isotope in ancient Arctic rocks dating back 62 million years. These discoveries may be the key to understanding the processes occurring in the Earth‘s core.
Helium is a light and non-reactive gas that evaporates into space . This makes it a rare element on Earth’s surface, but how much helium is still trapped inside our planet has long been a mystery to geologists.
A study of basaltic lavas on the Canadian island of Baffin Mountain revealed one of the highest ratios of helium 3 to helium 4 in the world. This indicates the ancient origin of helium and excludes the possibility of atmospheric contamination. This helium, trapped inside the planet during its formation, is finally being released.
According to geochemist Forrest Horton of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the helium isotope ratio in olivine samples collected on the Baffin Islands is 50 times atmospheric, making it high even for the mantle. This coincides with the results of analysis of lavas from a section of the Icelandic crust, indicating the existence of ancient helium reservoirs adjacent to the mantle.
The latest analysis, including an extensive collection of olivine, showed the highest helium ratio of 3 to 4 recorded in volcanic rocks – almost 70 times the level in the atmosphere. The researchers also analyzed other isotopes, including neon, which confirmed the unusual origin of helium.
The study suggests that for a long time, helium and other noble gases were locked inside the planet and seeped into the mantle as it grew. The Earth’s core remains a mysterious place, not yet accessible to research, and perhaps the resulting data on changes in its composition could help in understanding the processes underlying the formation of planets.
This discovery may provide new information about the origin and development of our planet, as well as other planets in the Universe.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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