Metais preciosos do interior da Terra ascendem até a superfície, aponta pesquisa

Okay, here’s a breakdown of the key information from the text, organized for clarity and highlighting the most important findings:1. Core-Mantle Interaction is Real & Ongoing* Evidence: The research, primarily led by Messling, provides strong evidence that the Earth’s core and mantle are interacting in a significant way. This wasn’t previously a widely accepted theory.* Venting/Leakage: The core is “leaking” or venting material into the mantle. This isn’t a sudden event, but a process that has been happening for billions of years and likely continues today.* Time Scale: This process has been occurring for approximately 500 million to 1 billion years.2. Elements Involved* Ruthenium: The primary element being studied and found to be leaking from the core. It’s chemically similar to gold.* Gold: The research suggests that gold is also being released from the core, though in very small quantities.3. How the Interaction is Detected* Isotopic Analysis: Messling used a new and difficult method to measure ruthenium in rocks. The key was detecting extremely small amounts of ruthenium (less than a milligram in a kilogram of rock).* Confirmation of Origin: The detection of ruthenium in rocks that *don’t* normally contain it proves it originated from the core.4. The Mechanism (Still Not Fully Understood)* Density Difference: The core and mantle have vastly different densities (like oil and water), which allows them to interact.* Uncertainty: Scientists don’t yet fully understand *how* this interaction occurs on a large scale.5. Implications for Earth’s Composition* Renewed Supply of Gold?: The research raises the possibility that some of the gold mined by humans may have originated from the core. While the amounts are tiny, the long-term effect could be significant.* Earth’s Evolution: The core-mantle interaction is a key factor in shaping the Earth’s composition and evolution over billions of years.6. Notable Opinions from External Experts* Helen Williams (Cambridge): Agrees that the research is “empolting” and confirms that plumes of molten rock from the core-mantle boundary contribute to hot spots like those in Hawaii.* Jesse Reimink (Pennsylvania): Reiterates that the core’s leakage is a long-standing debate that this research has revived.7. Limitations & Future Research* Extreme Depth: Accessing the core is currently impossible with existing technology (the Kola Superdeep Borehole only reached 12.3 km).* Tiny Quantities: The amounts of material leaking from the core are incredibly small, making it difficult to study directly.In essence, this research provides compelling evidence that the Earth’s core is not a static, isolated structure, but an active participant in the planet’s geological processes.Do you want me to:* Expand on a specific aspect of the research?* Summarize a particular section of the text?* Answer a specific question about the findings?

Fonte por: CNN Brasil