Vast water body, larger than all oceans combined, discovered 700km below Earth's surface

This vast subterranean ocean is located approximately 700 km below the Earth's surface. (Representational)

Scientists from Northwestern University in Illinois, US, have unearthed a monumental reservoir of water concealed beneath the Earth's surface. This discovery, estimated to be three times larger than all the oceans combined, is located approximately 700 km below the Earth's surface.

This hidden but vast subterranean ocean, within a mineral known as ringwoodite, has far-reaching implications for our understanding of Earth's formation and the origins of its water.

Using an array of 2000 seismographs dispersed across the United States, researchers meticulously analysed seismic waves generated by over 500 earthquakes. The deceleration of these waves as they traversed the Earth's interior, particularly the core, provided compelling evidence of the presence of water within the rocks below.

Previously, theories posited that Earth's water may have been delivered through comet impacts. However, this recent revelation suggests an alternative narrative: that the planet's oceans may have originated deep within its core, gradually seeping out over eons.

Steven Jacobsen, the lead researcher, emphasised the transformative potential of this discovery, noting that without this subterranean reservoir, Earth's water would be confined solely to its surface, rendering only mountain peaks visible.

Moreover, the concept of water permeating the Earth's mantle and traversing through rock grains has the potential to redefine our understanding of the planet's water cycle. Researchers are gathering seismic data from diverse global regions that aim to illuminate the frequency of mantle melting events.