News Earth

Earth’s mantle is cooling faster than expected

Thickness of newly formed mid-ocean ridge crust varies depending on interior heat

cooling crust

COOLING DOWN   Newly formed oceanic crust (redder shaded regions) is thinner on average than older crust, new research shows. This thinning suggests that Earth’s mantle is cooling faster than previously thought.

NCEI/NOAA; R.D. Müller et al/Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 2008

By Thomas Sumner

- More than 2 years ago

SAN FRANCISCO — Earth’s innards are cooling off surprisingly fast.