INTERNAL

STRUCTURE OF
THE EARTH
OBJECTIVES

 Understanding Earth through Seismology

 Learning deep through the Earth’s Internal Structure

 Differences of internal layered structure and composition

 Velosity and density variation within the earth

Understanding Earth through Seismology

 Seismology is the study of vibrations within Earth. These

vibrations are caused by various events, including
earthquakes, extraterrestrial impacts, explosions, storm
waves hitting the shore, and tidal effects. Of course,
seismic techniques have been most widely applied to the
detection and study of earthquakes, but there are many
other applications, and arguably seismic waves provide
the most important information that we have concerning
Earth’s interior.
Types of Seismic Wave

1. Body waves
-Body waves travel through the interior of the Earth along
paths controlled by the material properties in terms of
density and modulus (stiffness). The density and modulus,
in turn, vary according to temperature, composition, and
material phase. This effect resembles the refraction of
light waves. Two types of particle motion result in two
types of body waves: Primary and Secondary waves.
2 types of Body waves
Primary (P) waves
 The fastest traveling wave through rocks
and liquid layers of the Earth.
 A type of body wave that pushes and pulls
rock and liquid in the same direction.

Secondary (S) waves

 Slower than P waves.
 Travels through solids ONLY and cannot
through in liquid layers. p-wave and s-wave from
 These wave produces the swaying seismograph

movement.
2. Surface waves
- Seismic surface waves travel along the Earth's
surface. They can be classified as a form of
mechanical surface wave. Surface waves diminish in
amplitude as they get farther from the surface and
propagate more slowly than seismic body waves (P
and S). Surface waves from very large earthquakes
can have globally observable amplitude of several
centimeters.
2 types of Surface waves

Love waves
Move the surface side to side, at a right angle to
the direction of wave.

Rayleigh waves
Moves the surface in a rolling circular motion
Digging deep through the Earth’s Internal Structure

The Earth is divided into

three main layers based on
composition, density and
physical properties.
The Crust, the Mantle and
the Core.
Within these three layers
are subdivisions and
variations.
The Core
The core is the hottest and
densest part of the Earth and
can be found at its center.
It lies depth of 2900km up to
6370km.
It is divided up into two parts:
Inner core and Outer core.
-Inner core is extremely hot
but remains solid due to the
extreme pressure at the
center of the Earth.

-Outer core is a liquid layer

made up mostly of molten
iron and nickel. The
movement of the liquid
outer core generates the
Earth’s magnetic field.
 The Mantle
 The mantle is between the core
and the crust. It is made up of
hot, solid rock that flows very
slowly and makes up most of the
 The mantle’s movement
Earth’s volume.
creates convection currents,
 It is almost 2900km thick and
which are like giant cycles of
makes up 80% of the Earth’s circulating material. These
volume and 68% of Earth’s mass. currents are responsible for
 It consist of dense silicate rocks. the movement of tectonic
(both P wave and S wave travel plates on the Earth’s
through the mantle) surface.
Themantle can be divided into the upper
mantle and the lower mantle.

-The Lower mantle is closer to

the core and under higher
pressure.
-The Upper mantle is closer to
the crust and more rigid.
 The Crust
 The outermost and thinnest layer of the Earth. The crust
is made of solid rocks and minerals.
 It’srelatively thin compared to the other layers and is
divided into two types: Continental crust and Oceanic
crust.
-The Oceanic crust is beneath the
oceans and is thinner than the
Continental crust.
-The Continental crust is found beneath
the land, like the continents, and it is
thicker than the oceanic crust.
Two other layers that
are variations of the
three main layers are
the Lithosphere and the
Asthenosphere.
Lithosphere includes both the crust and a portion of
the uppermost rigid mantle. It is divided into tectonic
plates and encompasses the solid, brittle, and
relatively cool portions of the crust and the uppermost
part of the mantle.
The Asthenosphere is located beneath rigid plates of
the lithosphere. It is a part of the upper mantle and is
made up of semi-solid, hot, and ductile rock. If
facilitates the movement of the tectonic plates of the
lithosphere.
DISCONTINUITY WITHIN EARTH
 Unique layers within the Earth are
there according to their
characteristics. All those layers are
separated from each other through a
transition zone. These transition
zones are called discontinuities.
 They are marked by clearcut
variations in density of material,
velocity of seismic waves,
temperature and pressure
conditions.
There are five discontinuities inside the earth.
Conrad Discontinuity: Transition zone between
SIAL and SIMA.
Mohorovicic Discontinuity: Transition zone
between the Crust and Mantle.
Repiti Discontinuity: Transition zone between
Outer mantle and Inner mantle.
Gutenberg Discontinuity: Transition zone between
Mantle and Core.
Lehman Discontinuity: Transition zone between
Outer core and Inner core.