Structure and Dynamics of the Earth's Interior 2: Composition and Structure of the Earth's Mantle

The interior of our planet is one of the last 'terra incognita'. Its chemical composition and onion-like structure of solid rocks and rare minerals make it a fascinating object. It is primarily its dynamic that makes Earth such a singular object in the solar system, with perennial, active plate tectonics for several billion years.

While its dynamic is obvious on the surface (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mid-oceanic rifts), the very nature of the Earth's mantle – beneath the crust and in...