New research has suggested that the earth's core may be leaking. Certain chemical characteristics of basalt rocks in the ocean have been used to learn more about the mantle of the Earth. Scientists have also found that many lavas that are linked to plumes from the mantle have higher helium-3 (a very rare isotope of helium) to helium-4 (a common helium isotope) ratios than upper mantles. This ratio has long been thought to be an essential part of the mantle. Researchers found that rocks on Baffin Island also have high helium-3 levels, which could be evidence of that leakage. The findings have been reported in Nature.
Previous studies have revealed trace amounts of helium-3 in lava flows that have occurred on Baffin Island, an area in the far Northern part of Canada. Helium-3 is an ancient isotope and there was a plenty of it on an early Earth that was in the process of forming. During the formation of the planet, the helium-3 got caught in the core. Helium-3 that is able to escape from the core now quickly floats away, into the atmosphere and out to space. It is very rare to find helium-3 on the Earth's surface, so when it is found, it is likely to have originated from the core.
When the researchers assessed the helium levels in terrestrial rock in the area, they found the highest ratios of helium-3 to helium-4 ever measured. These high ratios support the idea that the helium-3 has leaked from the core.
These findings could offer scientists an unprecedented opportunity to investigate material from the core of the Earth, which has never been done before, noted the researchers. If there is helium-3 leaking from the core, there may also be other material from the core in the area too; it may now be possible to study other physical samples from the core as well. No need to be concerned though, the planet is not deflating.
