Is it possible that there are more unknowns under the earth's crust, and there is more to it? It does indicate there might more water than previously thought. Evidence points out an incidence of a whole ocean, right under the continent of the US. It might not be like a sea, like our Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean but might be trapped in large rock later though. This subterranean reservoir is the largest concentrations of water inside the earth's mantle.
Attempts to find out how much water is moving to the surface and the subterranean sea reserves, under everyone's feet. Identifying the mechanism that moves up and down, due to tectonic action on the planet's crust. Two scientists (seismologist Brandon Schmandt, geophysicist Steve Jacobsen) are working to analyze what is exactly happening and anything to understand the phenomena more.
They discovered a deep magmatic pocket, about 400 miles under the US continent. Other finds are water that might be held in the crystalline structures and high pressure in the minerals that deep in the earth.
How much water the planet does really have underneath the mantle, is largely unknown. Surprising for a planet gifted with lush oceans, but with indefinite knowledge geochemical parameters with earth science. Evidence gathered was pointed out by Jacobsen as proof of water presence in the mantle transition zone.
One school of thought is that water is contained a layer between 250 and 410 miles, that is 1 percent made up of water. All the water is contained in wadsleyite and ringwoodite, in this layer of the crust. Finding water is this transition zone, should be plentiful with "partial melt" that is the mantle going downward in this crustal area. Partial melt has water and molten rock, mixed together and might be 1% rock volume too. It can be water is trapped by melting rock and becomes trapped, but how it got there is not defined. The process by which it happens will need to be studied more.
There some ideas that need to be explored concerning water retention in the earth's crust.
a. Seismological waves
They sound wave generated by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, that vibrate in the earth's crust and reverberates. All these are affected by the melt in the crust, these seismic waves are different depending on where they are localized. For example, stiff rocks will vibrate very fast, if more melt is there it vibrates less.
b. Mantle composition
Inside the earth, there is melting at 400 miles into the crust with evidence of water inside the mineral ringwoodite. This mineral might be mostly found in this layer in the mantle. This zone is where transitions happen, where seismic waves change from their original forms.
c. Ringwoodite, what is it?
A blue mineral that was found in a diamond, from 400 miles deep in a Brazilian volcano. Inside the mineral that held water inside it.
Conclusion
If there is a part of the earth's crust that does hold large amounts of water, does the mineral ringwoodite hold all of it? Does this reserve have an influence on how much water covers the earth's surface? All these questions, even get better if there might be a subterranean sea under the crust too. It brings to mind the story of Jules Verne, "Journey to the center of the Earth".
Related Article: Geophysicists Detect Evidence of Large Amounts of Water in Earth's Mantle
