Earth's magnetic core, illustration

---

Illustration showing the Earth's magnetic field. This magnetic field (white lines) generated by the eddies (blue spirals) set up in the liquid core. The mantle (solid and semi-molten rock, orange) extends downwards for 2855 kilometres from below the crust. The outer core (yellow-orange) is a liquid layer of iron and nickel, extending downwards for another 2210 kilometres. The inner core (centre) is a solid sphere of iron-nickel alloy, with a radius of around 1278 kilometres. The Earth's magnetic field extends outwards into space for tens of thousands of kilometres, protecting the planet from high-energy radiation from the Sun.

---

Size: 3758px × 2791px
Location:
Photo credit: © CLAUS LUNAU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, alloy, artwork, core, current, currents, earth, eddies, eddy, field, geography, geological, geology, geophysics, globe, illustration, internal, iron, iron-nickel, lines, liquid, magnetic, magnetism, mantle, molten, nickel, outer, physical, physics, planet, poles, rock, rotating, sciences, section, sectioned, solenoid, spiral