Scientists confirm a deep earthquake that shouldn't exist
University of Utah researchers have confirmed the existence of rare, deep-mantle earthquakes that were previously thought to be impossible. By re-examining seismic data from 1979, scientists identified a pattern of events occurring far below the Earth's crust.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges existing geological models regarding where and how earthquakes can occur within the Earth's mantle.
Nearly half a century ago, a small earthquake beneath northern Utah left seismologists puzzled. The event seemed to originate far deeper than earthquakes were thought capable of occurring beneath a continent. Now, new research from the University of Utah has confirmed that the unusual quake was real and part of a rare category of seismic events happening deep within Earth's mantle.
The article reports on scientific findings without political or social framing.
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