Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by ncmncm on Sunday March 13, 2022 @05:16PM
(#30665802)
Hint: the mantle is not made out of apple flesh, it starts much, much deeper than 10 miles most places, and nothing exists that can eat it.
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by dotancohen on Monday March 14, 2022 @02:45AM
(#30669198)
It could also leak out, loose heat, and drilling down to it could trigger earthquakes and eruptions.
The argument "it's big, we can't affect it" has been proven wrong in the case of the atmosphere, and again in the case of the ocean. It is no longer a sound argument.
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite...
by ncmncm on Monday March 14, 2022 @03:30AM
(#30669425)
"It's big, we can't drill more than a negligible fraction of the way to it" remains as true as ever. So, no, we cannot make it leak out, lose heat, or trigger earthquakes or eruptions. It will still be almost as hot in a half-billion years when the sun engulfs and vaporizes it, whatever we do.
Eruptions in Siberia, and later in India, not long ago geologically, released more heat in a (geologically) short time than we could use up in a million years, with no effect on the Earth's magnetic field.
Look at a graph of the temperature of the Earth as a function of depth. The temperature jumps tremendously below the crust, and is much more stable per depth below. The crust is the insulation of the Earth - and damaging that crust might affect the mantle is ways we cannot yet imagine.
The answer remains "we don't know".