1. GEOP503 Solid-Earth Geophysics
Chapter Exam Chapter 8; the deep interior of the Earth
March 21, 2008
1. What is the thickness of the continental lithosphere? Do the
continents have roots that extend to depths of several hundred
kilometers in the mantle?
2. Is the composition of the lower mantle different from that of the
upper mantle?
3. What is the topography of the core-mantle boundary?
4. How are variations in the Earths seismic velocities measured and
explain the different approached used?
5. What is the evidence for the existence of the core-mantle
boundary (CMB) and what are the main characteristics of the
outer core?
6. Is the Dii layer a purely thermal boundary layer or does it have a
compositional component?
7. Is the Low Velocity Zone partially molten?
8. What is the nature of the Lehmann seismic discontinuity at a
depth of 220 km?
9. What is the nature of the 660 km seismic discontinuity?
10.Is there partial melt at the base of the mantle?

2. 11.What is the relative importance of thermal and compositional
convection in powering the geodynamo?
12.Do subducted plates penetrate into the lower mantle?
13.Do some subducted slabs sink all the way to the core-mantle
boundary?
14. How deep do the upwellings beneath mid-ocean ridges extend
into the mantle? What are the implications for the passivity of
mid-ocean ridges?
15.What are the places in the Earth’s structure that refinements are
still taking place?
16. Compare the seismic structure of the Earth’s continental and
oceanic crust?
17. What marks the boundary between Earth’s curst and mantle and
what are the main seismic structures observes from the Earth’s
mantle?
18. How is the presence of the inner-core discovered? What are its
main characteristics?
19.What is the Adams-Williamson equation? How is it related to the
self-compression model of the Earth’s density?
20. What is the quality factor Q? How is it calculated
21.What is seismic tomography?
22. What is seismic anisotropy in the mantle? What can it tell us
about flow direction?

3. 23. What is the composition of Earths’s oceanic and continental
crust? What about the mantle and how do we know it?
24.What is the composition of the Earths outer and inner core?