⏰ when
When was Earth’s liquid outer core first inferred?
Earth scienceGeophysics
Quick Answer
In 1906, when Richard Oldham used earthquake waves to show that a fluid layer surrounds the core.
The Full Story
British geologist Richard Oldham inferred the existence of a liquid outer core in 1906 from the way seismic waves behaved during earthquakes. He observed that certain waves were delayed or missing in ways that suggested they could not pass through a solid central region in a straightforward manner. His analysis provided one of the first strong indications that Earth’s interior is layered and partly molten. Later seismology confirmed and refined this picture.
Key Facts
1.Inferred in 1906
2.Proposed by Richard Oldham
3.Helped establish Earth’s layered core
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"How earthquake waves revealed Earth’s molten core"