Discovery of Earth's inner core
Descubrimiento del núcleo interno de la Tierra
- Date
- 1936 · confidence high
- Place
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Credited to
- Inge Lehmann
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
Analyzing seismograms from New Zealand earthquakes, Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann observed seismic waves reflecting off an inner boundary and deduced the existence of a solid inner core distinct from the liquid outer core. The finding completely changed the model of Earth's internal structure.
What it led to
- Refinement of the core's dimensions by Gutenberg and Richter (1938)
- Confirmation of a solid iron inner core
- Modern models of core dynamics and Earth's magnetic field
Built on
- Seismographs and earthquake recording networks