Earth’s interior “might have as much water as all the world’s oceans put together” say scientists

The discovery of the first ever sample of a mineral called ringwoodite yields evidence about the existence of vast amounts of water hidden beneath the Earth's surface.

A team of scientists led by Graham Pearson, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Resources at the University of Alberta discovered the sample, almost by accident, in the Juina area of Mato Grosso, Brazil in 2008.




The sample was analysed with infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction before it was officially confirmed as ringwoodite, a mineral that had only previously been discovered in samples from meteorites, with about 1,5% of its weight made up from water.

This discovery supports the theory that vast amounts of water are trapped between the Earth's upper and lower mantle, which Pearson says "might have as much water as all the world's oceans put together".

Source: descrier