MUSCAT: A team of international scientists has discovered what they believe is the first confirmed "ghost plume" — a hidden column of superheated rock rising from deep within the Earth’s interior — beneath the eastern region of Oman. Unlike most mantle plumes, which are typically associated with volcanic activity at the surface, this newly identified plume shows no visible signs above ground, making it exceptionally difficult to detect.
The research, recently published in the prestigious journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, offers evidence of the plume, which the scientists have named the ‘Dani Plume’. According to the scientists, the discovery could reshape how geologists understand the inner workings of our planet, particularly beneath continents where such features have long been suspected but rarely confirmed.
Mantle plumes are hot, buoyant upwellings of rock that originate from the boundary between Earth’s core and mantle — roughly 2,890 kilometers beneath the surface. As these plumes rise, they often create volcanoes and dramatic surface changes due to melting rock pushing through the crust. However, in continental regions, the thick and rigid lithosphere can prevent this molten material from reaching the surface, effectively hiding the plume from view.
According to the journal, the Dani plume is an exception because, while it leaves no volcanic signature on the surface, its presence is revealed through detailed seismic analysis. When earthquake-generated waves passed through the region, scientists noticed they slowed down, indicating the presence of hotter and softer rock beneath Oman. Additional data from field measurements and computer models confirmed thermal and structural anomalies deep within the Earth.
The plume is estimated to be between 200 and 300 kilometers in diameter, and up to 300°C hotter than the surrounding mantle. Although small in size, it appears to have been active for tens of millions of years. In fact, the researchers suggest it may have influenced the movement of the Indian tectonic plate around 40 million years ago and could still be affecting surface elevations in Oman today.
“This study presents interdisciplinary evidence for the existence of a 'ghost' plume beneath eastern Oman,” the researchers wrote, emphasizing that while no single piece of data was conclusive on its own, together the findings formed a robust picture.
Importantly, the study also suggests that more heat may be escaping from Earth’s core than previously thought. This could require scientists to revise their models of how the Earth’s interior cools and evolves over time — and reassess how heat-producing elements are distributed within the planet.
“These findings have broader implications for understanding Earth’s thermal and geological evolution,” the authors noted, adding that detecting hidden plumes could help scientists better model plate tectonics, ancient climate change, and even the origins of life.
The scientific team comprised: Simone Pilia (Kind Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals – Saudi Arabia), Giampiero Iaffaldano (University of Parma – Italy), D Rhodri Davies (Australian National University), Mohammad Ismaiel (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research – India), Paolo A Sossi (ETH Zurich – Switzerland), Scott Whattam (King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals), Dapeng Zhao (Tohoku University – Japan), and Hao Hu (Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power – China.
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