Bark Beetles and Groundwater Flow

Recent studies have revealed relationship between the common bark beetle and the changing water quality and flow in the Rocky Mountain area of Colorado. As healthy pine trees begin to dry and falter at alarming rates, many look to the local infestation of these powerful beetles as the cause of acres of drying plant life. Affects that have become so damaging that natural groundwater flow is now being diverted, as the areas no longer need water to feed the lush and green pines that were once much more common.

Photo By: Forest Service Northern Region

Photo By: Forest Service Northern Region

So how does the removal of a few trees alter the flow of the surrounding groundwater streams, which have seen little change in recent years? Through the process of transpiration, healthy trees are actually able to take up water from the soil where they grow to transport throughout their plant structure. The excess gathering of water in the soil during this process eventually contributes to local water movement or streams, defining the direction and strength of the flow. Because of the number of trees drying out in the mountainous region, there is now an excess of water flowing through the ground, and feeding into local streams.

Scientists are now finding changes in the make of the quality of water. All of which has been a result of the bark beetles affect of local plant life. For such a small creature, the local population has caused quite the commotion.

Iron Melting in Earth’s Core Sheds Light on Geology Investigation

How much does your Blaster know about Earth’s history and structure? Recently, scientists used seismic waves to measure and explain the peculiar properties found in our planet’s inner core. This can be used as evidence to further our knowledge on geology and Earth Science. Let us take a look at the composition of Earth to have a better understanding of the significance of this discovery.

Photo by Blatant World

Chemically, our globe is divided into FIVE layers: crust, upper mantle, lower mantle, outer core, and inner core.

  1. Crust is essentially the outermost shell of our rocky planet
  2. Upper mantle is the layer beneath the crust, which is mechanically weak, and is mainly a solid but can melt at some point that turns it into liquid form
  3. Lower mantle is the buffer between the upper mantle and the outer core. It causes sharp increases in seismic wave velocities and has a high density, with firm rigidness.
  4. Outer core is a layer that is in liquid form, with a composition of iron and nickel. Depending on far the area is to the inner core, the temperature of the outer core can range from 8000°F to 11,000°F.
  5. Inner core is said to be the size of our Moon and is believed to be a solid ball made up of iron and nickel. Scientists found this layer to be distinctive to the other layers due to its property to deflect seismic waves when earthquake occurs. Since it is impossible to investigate this part of the Earth physically, scientists were only able to deduce a few facts.

What is fascinating about this new research is that scientists found that just before the iron starts to melt in the core, it becomes more yielding and less stiff, which creates a transverse motion, like the waves on a rope, rather than waves that moves through a spring. Scientists now have a better understanding of Earth’s inner core, but they continue to work on finding how other elements within the core can affect their geophysical measurements.

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