Neutrinos from Deep Inside Earth Reveal a Surprising Mantle
Neutrinos from Deep Inside Earth Provide a New Picture of the Mantle
A global network of neutrino detectors, including SNO+ in Canada and JUNO in China, is providing the first direct measurements of geoneutrinos—particles produced by radioactive decay inside Earth. These measurements suggest that the mantle may not be uniform, with hints of concentrated radioactive elements beneath large low-shear-velocity provinces. This could reshape our understanding of Earth's internal heat engine and plate tectonics.
“It could be that that’s the first hint that the mantle is not uniform,” said Mark Chen, a particle astrophysicist at Queen’s University and director of the SNO+ collaboration.