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Magnetohydrodynamic Convection in the Outer Core and its Geodynamic ConsequencesThe Earth's fluid outer core is in vigorous convection through much of the Earth's history. In addition to generating and maintaining Earth s time-varying magnetic field (geodynamo), the core convection also generates mass redistribution in the core and a dynamical pressure field on the core-mantle boundary (CMB). All these shall result in various core-mantle interactions, and contribute to surface geodynamic observables. For example, electromagnetic core-mantle coupling arises from finite electrically conducting lower mantle; gravitational interaction occurs between the cores and the heterogeneous mantle; mechanical coupling may also occur when the CMB topography is aspherical. Besides changing the mantle rotation via the coupling torques, the mass-redistribution in the core shall produce a spatial-temporal gravity anomaly. Numerical modeling of the core dynamical processes contributes in several geophysical disciplines. It helps explain the physical causes of surface geodynamic observables via space geodetic techniques and other means, e.g. Earth's rotation variation on decadal time scales, and secular time-variable gravity. Conversely, identification of the sources of the observables can provide additional insights on the dynamics of the fluid core, leading to better constraints on the physics in the numerical modeling. In the past few years, our core dynamics modeling efforts, with respect to our MoSST model, have made significant progress in understanding individual geophysical consequences. However, integrated studies are desirable, not only because of more mature numerical core dynamics models, but also because of inter-correlation among the geophysical phenomena, e.g. mass redistribution in the outer core produces not only time-variable gravity, but also gravitational core-mantle coupling and thus the Earth's rotation variation. They are expected to further facilitate multidisciplinary studies of core dynamics and interactions of the core with other components of the Earth.
Document ID
20040171502
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kuang, Weijia
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chao, Benjamin F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Fang, Ming
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.)
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Geophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Geophysical Union Meeting
Location: Montreal
Country: Canada
Start Date: May 17, 2004
End Date: May 21, 2004
Sponsors: American Geophysical Union
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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