Scientists reveal that seismic waves produced by earthquakes have helped them peek inside the Earth's inner core long thought to be made of solid iron but that actually has another smaller core inside.

The outer part of the inner core is estimated to be the size of the Moon but it dramatically changes structure and composition in the middle part, researchers say. A team from the University of Illinois and Nanjing Unversity used earthquake reading technology and recorded these seismic waves that form ripples that make the inside of the Earth ring like a bell.

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According to geology professor Xiaodong Song from the University of Illinois, this basic method has been known for some time and many scientists have used it for other studies. This particular study is about peering all the way into the center of the Earth.

Researchers discovered there's a distinct separation of the inner-inner core, which measures half of the diameter of the whole inner core.

Following this remarkable discovery are the directions of the iron crystals found in cores. The outer layer's iron crystals face north and south while the inner layer of the core possesses iron crystals that point east and west.

These crystals found in the inner, inner core apparently behave differently. Researchers suggest the outer and inner layers of the inner core were made in a different form or phase.

Song says these two regions suggest the Earth's inner core was evolving during the tectonic changes in the planet's early history and this can hold clues as to how our planet evolved.

Geologists say the planet is made up of three layers, the crust, the mantle consisting of hot magma and the core. With this new discovery, the core is no longer thought to be made from solid iron but of two layers: an outer core with molten liquid iron and an inner core of solid iron.

This study was published in the journal, Nature Geoscience.  

TagsScientists Reveal That the Earth's Core Has Another Inner Core, Earth, earth's inner core, scientists earth planet inner inner core magnetism