What geological anomalies might be the undigested remnants of Theia’s core?
Answer
Large Low-Shear-Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs)
The immense mixing that occurred during the impact challenges scientists because Earth's rocks show such isotopic uniformity. However, evidence suggests that the mixing was not entirely homogenous in the deep interior. Geologists have identified chemically distinct, irregularly shaped regions deep within the Earth's lower mantle known as Large Low-Shear-Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs). The leading intriguing explanation is that these massive structures, located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean, represent the preserved, undigested remnants of Theia’s own core and lower mantle material that sank deep into the Earth following the catastrophic collision.
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