Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by TeMPOraL on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @05:07PM
(#4604305)
Because we want to know what's down there, not what comes up here.
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Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by catenate on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @05:25PM
(#4604416)
Without adequate safeguards, what's down there will come up here (at least to the top of the borehole), and create a new 6km volcano. I'd name it Moria.
Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by derekp7 on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @05:48PM
(#4604556)
I don't think it works like that. If you are in the middle of an ice burg and drill down to the ocean below it, does water start shooting up through the hole?
Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by catenate on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @06:24PM
(#4604712)
Yes, if the bottom of the iceberg-hole is below sea level.
If the mantle at the bottom of this new bore-hole is under pressure and liquid, then it will go up the bore hole until the pressure above it equals the pressure below. If the bottom of the bore-hole hits a part of a liquid mantle with a lot of pressure, then we might get a volcano. Hence, Moria.
Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by gnaritas on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @08:43PM
(#4605186)
The mantle isn't liquid, it's solid rock.
Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by felipemnoa on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @05:32PM
(#4604458)
So, If you want to create your own island in the middle of nowhere all you have to do is drill a couple of holes to the mantle. I can certainly see some people creating islands this way in the hope of using them decades latter.
Re:The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth's mantle
by Evbn on Tuesday October 02, 2012 @07:26PM
(#4604935)
Superman movie.