Posted on 04/07/2005 2:06:11 PM PDT by beezdotcom
Seeking the elusive 'Moho'
Scientist said this week they had drilled into the lower section of Earth's crust for the first time and were poised to break through to the mantle in coming years.
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) seeks the elusive "Moho," a boundary formally known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity. It marks the division between Earth's brittle outer crust and the hotter, softer mantle.
The depth of the Moho varies. This latest effort, which drilled 4,644 feet (1,416 meters) below the ocean seafloor, appears to have been 1,000 feet off to the side of where it needed to be to pierce the Moho, according to one reading of seismic data used to map the crust's varying thickness.
The new hole, which took nearly eight weeks to drill, is the third deepest ever made. The rock collection brought back to the surface is providing new information about the planet's composition.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Isn't Moho what you say when you want another hooker at Mustang Ranch?
HAHAHA nice picture editing!
That's some pretty cool news too!
And they're not worried about damaging fragile Mother Earth?:)
Women and Children Hardest Hit.
Why does this sound to me like a really bad idea?
It's Bush's fault.
"Oh do behave. But I've heard you found my MOJO!"
I'm all for scientific exploration, but in this particular case, I sort of feel like this is a boondoggle, and here's why:
We know what mantle material is comprised of. Some of the volcanic ejecta we see is due to friction between crustal plates, but some volcanic eruptions do produce (liquid hot) magma from the Mohorovicic Discontinuity. The Icelandic vocanos in particular are simply basaltic structures created by the separation of plates in the mid-Atlantic.
Seems like a lot of money to spend to get what Surtsey spews out for free...
Could be the San Andreas fault
What happens when the earth starts to deflate? Do they have a plug ready?
Any magma that comes up through the hole will cool and solidify, becoming part of the rock, long before it reaches the surface, relax.
If this makes you nervous, then I guess core taps as an energy source doesn't tickle your fancy?
I'm usually all for scientific endevours but this one doesn't seem to be of particular value.
If they can perfect the technology and make this work it could be the end of the energy crises.
Drill the hole, pump water down and steam comes up.
Steam turns turbines, makes electricity then condenses back to water.
No pollution, no obnoxious byproducts, just amps.
Yeah, I agree. Who needs a do-it-yourself volcano?
LQ
Oooh.
Did you say liquid hot magma?
Do you remeber the movie "Crack in the World"? If you do, you know what happens next. I need not elaborate.
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