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 ...
I wonder if they will find more oil. Then they would definitely blame Bush, cuz you know it is his fault.
I hope they run into the mole people, either Superman's, Planet of the Apes, or John Agar's.
Missed it by 60 seconds. LOL
It is too deep to shed some light on Gold's theory of the non-biological origin of petroleum. Interesting. There was also going to be another dig in CA to tap into a plate fault. Good to see experimental research.
The former Amoco Oil company drilled a awfully deep hole (some say more than 17,000 feet), looking for oil in SE Iowa back in the 1970s. They found a few seeps but nothing of value until a neighbing farmer moved an outhouse over the hole...
It looks as though I am a pale imitation of you, sir. In fact, you might even say that I'm a diminutive clone...a Mini-Me.
"That's the spy who magma'd me."
Wouldn't the steam cool before it reached the surface?
Not usually...I just pay and leave.
To be MY mini-me, you needn't be any smaller than a full grown adult.
Paging Jules Verne.
Because you've been watching too many movies?
Yeah...unless they find some kind of endangered species down there they can exploit.
Thats the "perfecting the technology" part.
Might use insulated chrome moly steel as a casing.
That steel alloy would withstand the heat and corrosion and the insulation could keep the steam from condensing.
Yep, I know, just a theory but definitly promising
too me too.
thinking of how a new oil well shoots - and it's just a scratch down.
Wouldn't care to be around this hole when they break thru - also seems like they are playing with fire - literally
There's gotta be a Dutchman - someplace - willing to stick a finger in Rosie O'Donnel.
Geraldo: "We found Jimmy Hoffa"
Good one = he he
Wake me when they get through to China.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.