"The internal structure of Earth is the solid portion of the Earth, excluding its atmosphere and hydrosphere."
Composition and structure of the Earth's interior: crust, mantle, and core.
Seismic waves and their interpretation: This topic focuses on the study of the waves generated by earthquakes and how they can provide insight into the structure and composition of the Earth's interior.
Earth's composition: This topic involves the study of the different chemical elements and minerals that make up the Earth's interior, including their distribution and abundance.
Plate tectonics: This topic deals with the movement of the Earth's lithospheric plates, and how this movement affects the Earth's interior.
Mantle convection: This topic focuses on the movement of material within the Earth's mantle, including the role of mantle convection in plate tectonics.
Core structure: This topic involves the study of the Earth's core, including its composition, structure, and dynamics.
Earth's magnetic field: This topic deals with the generation of the Earth's magnetic field, and its relationship to the Earth's interior.
Metamorphism and magmatism: This topic focuses on the processes by which rocks are transformed and melted within the Earth's interior.
Radiometric dating: This topic involves the use of radioactive isotopes to determine the age of rocks and minerals, and to understand the processes that have shaped the Earth's interior.
Geochemical cycles: This topic involves the study of the cycles by which chemical elements move through the Earth's interior, including the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle.
Mineralogy: This topic deals with the study of minerals and their properties, and how they can provide insight into the Earth's interior.
Crust: This is the outermost layer of the Earth, ranging from 5-70 kilometers in thickness. It comprises two types of crust – continental and oceanic.
Mantle: The mantle lies below the crust and is the most extensive layer in the Earth’s interior. It's composed of magnesium, iron silicates, and a range of other elements.
Outer Core: The outer core is a layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core. It's primarily responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field.
Inner Core: The inner core is the deepest and most extreme part of the Earth. It's a solid sphere of iron and nickel with a radius of about 1,220 kilometers.
Lithosphere: It's the crust plus the uppermost part of the mantle and is broken up into plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere.
Asthenosphere: It's the weak, ductile layer below the lithosphere that can deform and flow over long periods. This behavior allows it to enable plate tectonics.
Mesosphere: Located between the asthenosphere and the outer core, the mesosphere causes the rocks to become more rigid again due to the immense pressure at this depth.
D'' Layer: The boundary between the mantle and the core, where seismic waves display unique behavior indicative of a transition.
Gutenberg Discontinuity: Another boundary in the mantle where there's an abrupt increase in the seismic velocity of waves.
Lehmann Discontinuity: A boundary at the inner core boundary where there's a sudden decrease in seismic velocity.
"The structure consists of an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous asthenosphere and solid mantle, a liquid outer core whose flow generates the Earth's magnetic field, and a solid inner core."
"Scientific understanding of the internal structure of Earth is based on observations of topography and bathymetry, observations of rock in outcrop, samples brought to the surface from greater depths by volcanoes or volcanic activity, analysis of the seismic waves that pass through Earth, measurements of the gravitational and magnetic fields of Earth, and experiments with crystalline solids at pressures and temperatures characteristic of Earth's deep interior."
"The structure consists of an outer silicate solid crust..."
"...a highly viscous asthenosphere and solid mantle..."
"...a liquid outer core whose flow generates the Earth's magnetic field..."
"...a solid inner core."
"Scientific understanding of the internal structure of Earth is based on observations of topography and bathymetry..."
"Scientific understanding of the internal structure of Earth is based on observations of rock in outcrop..."
"...samples brought to the surface from greater depths by volcanoes or volcanic activity..."
"Analysis of the seismic waves that pass through Earth..."
"...measurements of the gravitational and magnetic fields of Earth..."
"...experiments with crystalline solids at pressures and temperatures characteristic of Earth's deep interior."
"...a liquid outer core whose flow generates the Earth's magnetic field..."
"The structure consists of an outer silicate solid crust..."
"...a highly viscous asthenosphere..."
"...a highly viscous asthenosphere and solid mantle..."
"...a liquid outer core whose flow generates the Earth's magnetic field..."
"...a solid inner core."
"...experiments with crystalline solids at pressures and temperatures characteristic of Earth's deep interior."