www.sciencedaily.com
A massive, slow-moving pocket of hot rock, a “mantle wave,” lurks deep beneath the Appalachians. Scientists believe it’s a remnant from when Greenland and North America separated roughly 80 million years ago. This ancient heat source traveled over 1,800 km to its present location, slowly influencing the continent’s form from below. Notably, it’s hypothesized to be partially responsible for the surprising continued uplift of the Appalachian Mountains, even after surface tectonic forces subsided. This mantle wave suggests ongoing geological activity and reshaping occurring deep within the Earth.
