How an Alien World Crashed into Planet Earth [and may produce Earthquakes]

Scientists have proposed that an large Alien World may have crashed into Earth billions of years ago and help to set the basis for our planet. Hence much of the inside of planet earth may be made up of another planet. This ground breaking and cutting edge theory may not be as crazy as it first sounds.

The interior of the planet does play a part in the movement of the earth and hence earthquakes As return readers of this blog may know, QuakeCov is heavily focused on earthquakes and quake insurance with articles such as: Earthquake Coverage for my Auto, CEA Alternatives, and FEMA Earthquake Safety, but from time to time we do get into other earth science stories, such as How Earth’s Core Ossicaltes in a different way.  This article, an Alien World Crashed into Planet Earth – is along those lines. The original article that spurred this post came straight from Vice meida. We have cited other very relevant and scienfific work to assist in making the connections with quakes themselves.

Alien Worlds and Their Connections to Earthquakes?

The Original article located on Vice.com titled Anomalies Deep Inside Earth Are Wreckage of Crashed Alien World, Scientists Propose was published on November 2nd – 2023. The article suggests “that strange anomalies in Earth’s interior may be relics of a world that smashed into our planet some 4.5 billion years ago…” Scientists believe that ” This hypothesis could explain the curious presence of two massive “blobs” inside Earth known as large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs)”

QuakeCov will extend that article to discuss how this Alien World may be connected potentially to earthquakes.

What is a Large Low-Velocity Provinces?

According to NASA, LLSPs are “antipodal, continent-sized low-velocity zones that sit at the base of the Earth’s mantle.” Wikipedia states that they have “slow shear wave velocities” and that are there are two main areas: ” the African LLSVP and the Pacific LLSVP.”

The researchers believe that “LLVPs may represent buried relics of Theia mantle material (TMM) that was preserved in proto-Earth’s mantle after the Moon-forming giant impact” ” Theia being the proto plane earth [before the crash]. All of this is fascinating as it relates to the creation of earth’s mantle.

“The team noted that other planets may also contain the fossils of ancient worlds…”

What is the Mantle?

Wikipedia defines “a Mantle” as “a layer inside a planetary body bounded by a core and above the crust.” According to Science News Explorer: The mantle is “mostly [made] of iron, magnesium and silicon, it is dense, hot and semi-solid…”and is “1,865 miles thick.” The mantle is ” Earth’s thickest layer.”

When reading about Mantles it is important to note differences between definitions of a mantle vs earth’s mantle as they may not be the exact same. Wikipedia explans that Earth’s mantle is about 67% of its mass and 84% of its volume.

So What Does this Alien Body have to do with Earthquakes?

According to a National Geographic subject article: Mantle: “Activity in the mantle drives plate tectonics, contributing to volcanoes, seafloor spreading, earthquakes, and orogeny…” Another article, also from Nat Geo Education, states “Movement in the mantle caused by variations in heat from the core, cause the plates to shift, which can cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.” The University of Chicago states that “Most of the earthquakes we hear about on the news are relatively shallow, originating in the top crust of the Earth. But occasionally...earthquakes that originate deep within the Earth—down to 450 miles below the surface….” They even “reach down into the mantle…”

There you go, a direct connection between the mantle and plate tectonics which are in part responsible for earthquakes on our planet. Additionally UofChicago states that quakes can start near or in the mantle itself. In fact “most mantle studies are conducted by measuring the spread of shock waves from earthquakes, called seismic waves.” If our Mantle was created by this foreign [alien] body than the linkage is somewhat clear.

“Cutting-edge technology has allowed modern geologists and seismologists to produce mantle maps. These “mantle maps display seismic velocities…Geoscientists hope that sophisticated mantle maps can plot the body waves of as many as 6,000 earthquakes with magnitudes of at least 5.5.” The “Theia mantle material” is now part of our mantle. Earthquakes that are associated with the mantle are associated with the Theia mantle material.

So Does a Legacy Alien Body Create Earthquakes?

It is a fascinating idea and association. An ancient body crashes into earth and is now part of our planet. Assuming this research and ideas are accurate that is. If an Alien body is indeed within Earth’s mantle and the mantle is both associated with the movement of plate techtonics and directly with earthquakes themselves than it does seem plausable that this ancient Alien World plays a part of Earth’s seimic activity.

Vice Story here.