CHAPTER 1

Structure Of The Earth’s Interior

 Why know about earth’s interior?
Understanding of the earth's interior is essential to understand the nature of
changes that take place over and below the earth‘s surface.

To understand geophysical phenomenon like volcanism, earthquakes etc..

To understand the internal structure of various solar system objects

To understand the evolution and present composition of atmosphere

Future deep-sea mineral exploration etc.

Sources of information about the interior
 Direct Sources
Deep earth mining and drilling reveals the nature of rocks deep down the
surface.

Mponeng gold mine and TauTona gold mine in South Africa are deepest mines
reaching to a depth of 3.9 km. And the deepest drilling is about 12 km deep

▪ Volcanic eruption forms another source of obtaining direct information.

 Mponeng Gold Mines, South Africa
▪ Location:- South Africa
▪ Deepest Mine
▪ Gold Mine
▪ Deapth: 2.4 miles (3.9 km)
 Indirect Sources
By analyzing the rate of change of temperature and pressure from the surface
towards the interior.
Meteors, as they belong to the same type of materials earth is made of.

Gravitation, which is greater near poles and less at the equator.

Gravity anomaly, which is the change in gravity value according to the mass of
material, gives us information about the materials in the earth’s interior.
Seismic Waves: the shadow zones of body waves (Primary and secondary waves)
give us information about the state of materials in the interior.
 Some sources explained in detail

High Levels of Temperature and Pressure

Downwards

Volcanic eruptions and existence of hot

springs, geysers etc. point to an interior
which is very hot.
 Evidence From The Meteorites

When they fall to earth, their outer layer is burnt

during their fall due to extreme friction and the inner
core is exposed.

The heavy material composition of their cores

confirms the similar composition of the inner core of
the earth, as both evolved from the same star system
in the remote past.
 Seismic waves

The most important indirect source

is seismic activity.
The major understanding of the
earth’s internal structure is mainly
from the study of seismic waves.

The study of seismic waves

provides a complete picture of the
layered interior.
 What causes earthquakes?
Under intense pressure, the rock layer, at certain point, overcomes the friction
offered by the overlying layer and undergoes an abrupt movement generating
shockwaves.
This causes a release of energy, and the energy waves travel in all directions.
The point where the energy is released is called the focus of an earthquake,
alternatively, it is called the Hypocentre.
The energy waves travelling in different directions reach the surface.
The point on the surface, nearest to the focus, is called Epicentre.
It is the first one to experience the waves. It is a point directly above the focus.
Hypocentre & Epicentre
 Earthquake Waves
▪ All natural earthquakes take place in the lithosphere (depth up to 200 km from
the surface of the earth).
▪ An instrument called ‘Seismograph’ records the waves reaching the surface.
▪ Earthquake waves are basically of two types — Body Waves and Surface Waves.
 Earthquake Waves
▪ Body Waves are generated due to the release of energy at the focus and move
in all directions travelling through body of the earth. Hence, name body waves.

▪ The body waves interact with the surface rocks and generate new set of waves
called Surface Waves. These waves move along the surface.

▪ The velocity of waves changes as they travel through materials with different
elasticity (stiffness) (Generally density with few exceptions). The more elastic the
material is, the higher is the velocity. Their direction also changes as they reflect
or refract when coming across materials with different densities.

▪ There are Two Types of body waves. They are called P and S-waves.
 Behavior of Earthquake Waves
• The earthquake waves are measured with the
help of a seismograph and are of three types—

1. 'P' waves or primary waves (longitudinal

nature),
2. Secondary waves or 'S' waves (tansverse in
nature) while the
3. Surface waves are long or ‘L’ waves.
 Behavior of Earthquake Waves
• The velocity and direction of the earthquake waves undergo changes when the
medium through which they are travelling changes.

• When an earthquake or underground nuclear test sends shock waves through

the Earth, the cooler areas, which generally are rigid, transmit these waves at a
higher velocity than the hotter areas.
 Primary Waves (P waves)
• Also called as the longitudinal or compressional
waves.

• Particles of the medium vibrate along the

direction of propagation of the wave.
• P-waves move faster and are the first to arrive at
the surface.
• These waves are of high frequency.

• They can travel in all mediums.

• Velocity of P waves in Solids > Liquids > Gases

 Primary Waves (P waves)

• Their velocity depends on elasticity of the material.

• The shadow zone for ‘P’ waves is an area that

corresponds to an angle between 103 and 142
• This gives clues about Solid inner core.
 Secondary Waves (S waves)
• Also called as transverse or distortional
waves.
• Analogous to water ripples.

• S-waves arrive at the surface with some time

lag.
• A secondary wave cannot pass through
liquids or gases.
• These waves are of high frequency waves.
 Surface Waves (L waves)
Also called as long
period waves.

They are low

frequency, long
wavelength, and
transverse vibration.

Generally affect the

surface of the Earth
only and die out at
smaller depth.
 Surface Waves (L waves)

They cause
Develop in the
displacement of
immediate These waves are the Recoded last on the
rocks, and hence, the
neighborhood of the most destructive. seismograph.
collapse of structures
epicenter.
occurs.
 Surface Waves (L waves)

• Also called as long period waves.

• They are low frequency, long wavelength,

and transverse vibration.
• Generally affect the surface of the Earth only
and die out at smaller depth.
• Develop in the immediate neighborhood of
the epicenter.
 Surface Waves (L waves)
• They cause displacement of rocks, and hence, the collapse
of structures occurs.
• These waves are responsible for most of the destructive
force of earthquake.
• Recoded last on the seismograph.
 Emergence of Shadow Zone
▪ Earthquake waves get recorded in
seismographs located at far off locations.

▪ However, there exist some specific areas

where the waves are not reported. Such a zone
is called the ‘Shadow Zone’.
▪ The study of different events reveals that for
each earthquake, there exists an altogether
different shadow zone.
It was observed that seismographs located at
any distance within 105 ° from the epicenter,
recorded the arrival of both P and S-waves.
 Emergence of Shadow Zone
▪ However, the seismographs located beyond 145 ° from epicenter, record the
arrival of P waves, but not that of S-waves.

▪ Thus, a zone between 105 ° and 145 ° from epicenter was identified as the
shadow zone for both the types of waves. The entire zone beyond 105 ° does not
receive S-waves.
▪ The shadow zone of S-wave is much larger than that of the P-waves. The
shadow zone of P-waves appears as a band around the earth between 105 ° and
145 ° away from the epicenter.
▪ The shadow zone of S-waves is not only larger in extent but it is also a little
over 40 per cent of the earth surface.
 Multiple Choice Question
• Q.1. Consider the following statements
• 1. Stretching and squeezing of rocks is caused by p-waves.
2. Earthquakes are only of generated by sliding of rocks along
fault plane.
• Select the correct answer from the following codes
• a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
 Multiple Choice Question
• Answer: a
• Explanation: P-wave vibrates parallel to the direction of
wave. This exerts pressure on material in the direction of
propagation causing stretching and squeezing of
material. Most common earthquakes are tectonic
earthquakes. Earthquakes are also caused by mining,
volcanoes, explosion of chemical or nuclear devices,
construction of large reservoirs
Thank you