MIT OpenCourseWare

http://ocw.mit.edu

12.001 Introduction to Geology

Spring 2008

For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms.
 Surface Waves

Focus Seismograph
S SS
Mantle
P S

Outer Core

Inner Core

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

 Focus
s
ave Su
c ew rfa
rfa ce
Su S
S P P P

wa
ScS
PcP

ves
SS
PP

PKP
Solid
inner
core

PKIKP
Liquid outer core

Solid mantle

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

 0
Crust

6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000

Lithosphere
Asthenosphere

Depth (km)
Upper mantle

Lower mantle
Outer core
Mantle
Inner
core

14 14
ve
Wave speed (km/s)

12 P wa sity
Den P wave 12

Density (g/cm3)
ve
10 P wa 10
8 8
S wave
6 6
Density S wave
4 4
No S waves
2 in outer core 2

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

Depth (km)

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

 Ocean Oceanic crust
0 (km)
Lithosphere
100

Upper mantle
Asthenosphere (partially molten)
200
Solid, mostly peridotite
300

400

500 Transitions to closer

atomic packing

Lower mantle
600

700

800

900
3 4 5 6 7 8
Increasing S-wave speed (km/s)

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

 Region of
Lithosphere partial melting

Surface
410 km
660 km
1000 Mantle
Solid melting
silicate curve Mantle
Depth (km) 2000 rock

3000
Core-mantle
boundary
Liquid iron Melting Outer core

Geo
4000
alloy curve for

ther
iron alloy

m
5000

Solid iron Inner core

6000 alloy
Center
of Earth 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Temperature (oC)

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.