Earth has inner core surface property variations at 1km scale

verdigris

A Wikipedia article says:
"The surface of the inner core exhibits rapid variations in properties at scales at least as small as 1 km. This is puzzling, since lateral temperature variations along the inner core boundary are known to be extremely small (this conclusion is confidently constrained by magnetic field observations)."

Why do small temperature variations correspond with relatively large variations in the properties? What is the explanation for this?

sneez

"relatively large variations in the properties"

what properties and what is large ?

matthyaouw

What technique do they use to look at the core which has a resolution of 1km? As far as I know the best we can manage with the mantle is 100 or so.
Also, which article?

Andre

Good question.Can't find anything on that.

We have

http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~dla/Commentary-doc2.pdf

Earth by the low viscosity fluid outer core and it can rotate, nod, wobble, process, oscillate, and even flip over, only loosely constrained by the surrounding shells.

That's our concern. although "process" should be "precess". The question is, what that does to the Earth as a whole.

like this:
http://earth.leeds.ac.uk/~earmdu/agu03.pdf

verdigris

The article in wikipedia is here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_core
in the third paragraph that starts "little is known.." (below the diagram of the Earth).

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sneez	"relatively large variations in the properties" what properties and what is large ?

matthyaouw Recognitions: Gold Member	What technique do they use to look at the core which has a resolution of 1km? As far as I know the best we can manage with the mantle is 100 or so. Also, which article?

verdigris	The article in wikipedia is here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_core in the third paragraph that starts "little is known.." (below the diagram of the Earth).