Satellite Data Reveals Deep Mantle Shift at Earth's Core–Mantle Boundary

Scientists analyzing satellite data have uncovered a mysterious material disturbance near Earth’s core–mantle boundary that occurred between 2006 and 2008. The anomaly, recently detected by the US–German "Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment" (GRACE) mission, provides the first direct observational evidence of rapid processes deep within the mantle.

The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that the event may have been triggered by a mineral phase transition, which caused rocks to densify and redistribute at depths of about 2,900 kilometers beneath the Atlantic margin of Africa. This produced a significant gravity anomaly around 2007—signals that could not be explained by surface hydrology.

Researchers note that the same region has also experienced geomagnetic disturbances, possibly linked to structural transformations in perovskite minerals under extreme conditions. Such changes may increase rock density, induce centimeter-scale deformations at the core–mantle boundary, and even affect the flow of liquid in the outer core—potentially disrupting Earth's magnetic field.

The team is now using the next-generation GRACE satellites to continue monitoring deep-Earth signals, aiming to better understand the coupling of Earth's internal layers, the origins of earthquakes, and the dynamics sustaining the geomagnetic field.