#3141: Mantle Model
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[A diagram of the Earth’s inner structure is shown with the caption “Standard geophysical model of the mantle”. Dotted lines forming structures that appear to be moving through and between various layers of the mantle are labeled with arrows. The arrows either point to the base of the structures on the inside of the planet or formations on the outside.]
[In the center around the Earth’s core are vertical columns rising up away from the core through cracks in lower layers of mantle. At different layers the structure either branches out horizontally between layers or again vertically through additional cracks. This process might yield a single vertical column, or several branching horizontal and vertical branches.]
[These structures are labeled:]
Hypothesized mantle plumes
[On the Earth’s surface are various rock formations that align with the locations of plumes just below.]
[The formations are labeled:]
Every feature of the Earth surface that we have a hard time explaining
[Caption below the panel:]
Standard geophysical model of the mantle
(Sourced from explainxkcd.com)
Title text:Mantle plumes explain Hawaii, Yellowstone, Iceland, the East African Rift, the Adirondack uplift, the Permian extinction, the decline of Rome, the DB Cooper hijacking, and the balrog in Moria. Those little hills of sand in your yard are caused by antle plumes.