Earth System

Overall

We show detailed layers representing Earth's inner core, outer core, lower mantle, upper mantle, crust, atmosphere (lower and upper), magnetosphere, and Hill sphere. The implementation includes comprehensive descriptions and appropriate scaling for each component.

Inner Core

The representation of Earth's inner core is accurate, with a radius fraction of 0.19 (approximately 1,220 km). Our description correctly notes it's a solid sphere composed primarily of iron and nickel, maintained near melting point despite incredible pressure due to temperatures of about 5,400°C, and notes that it rotates slightly faster than the rest of Earth, creating complex dynamics in Earth's magnetic field.

Outer Core

The outer core is accurately described as a liquid layer of iron, nickel, and lighter elements with a radius fraction of 0.55 (extending from 1,220 to 3,500 km from Earth's center). Our description correctly explains that convection currents in this highly conductive fluid generate Earth's magnetic field through the geodynamo process, with temperatures ranging from 4,500°C to 5,400°C.

Lower Mantle

The lower mantle visualization is accurate with a radius fraction of 0.85. Our description correctly explains it's composed of solid silicate rocks rich in iron and magnesium that flow very slowly through convection, driving plate tectonics, extending from 660 to 2,900 km below Earth's surface, with temperatures from 2,200°C to 4,500°C.

Upper Mantle

The upper mantle is properly represented with a radius fraction of 0.98. The description accurately notes it includes the asthenosphere, a partially molten layer where most magma originates, which flows more readily than the lower mantle allowing tectonic plates to move. The extent (from about 30 to 660 km below the surface) and temperature range (500°C to 2,200°C) are correctly stated.

Crust

The Earth's crust visualization is accurate, described as the thin solid outer layer where humans live, divided into oceanic crust (5-10 km thick, basaltic) and continental crust (30-50 km thick, granitic). Our description correctly notes the crust contains all known life and accessible geological resources, with surface temperatures ranging from -80°C to 60°C.

Atmosphere

The lower atmosphere visualization (radius fraction 1.05) accurately describes the troposphere (0-12 km, where weather occurs) and stratosphere (12-50 km, containing the ozone layer), noting they contain 99% of atmospheric mass, primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with temperatures varying from about 15°C at sea level to -60°C at the stratopause.

The upper atmosphere (radius fraction 1.25) description correctly covers the mesosphere (where meteors burn up), thermosphere (where aurora occurs and the ISS orbits), and exosphere (transition to space), extending from 50 km to about 1,000 km altitude, with temperatures in the thermosphere reaching 2,000°C despite the thin gas.

Magnetosphere

The magnetosphere visualization is comprehensive and accurate. We correctly describe Earth's magnetosphere extending about 10 Earth radii on the Sun-facing side and stretching into a long magnetotail on the night side, protecting Earth from solar radiation and cosmic rays. The detailed descriptions of the bow shock (15 Earth radii upstream), inner Van Allen Belt (1,000-6,000 km altitude), and outer Van Allen Belt (13,000-60,000 km altitude) are all scientifically accurate.

Hill Sphere

Our Hill sphere visualization gives a radius of approximately 235 Earth radii (about 1.5 million km or 0.01 AU), which is consistent with accepted scientific values.

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Orrery plots of the Earth-Moon system including near-Earth asteroids:

Near-Earth Asteroid Kamo'oalewa (JPL Horizons ID469219; name Kamoʻoalewa / 2016 HO3)

Plot of Kamo'oalewa's orbit (static) (File: 4.4 MB)

Plot of Kamo'oalewa's orbit (animated over 10 months) (File: 1.8 MB)

Orrery plots of the Earth-Moon system with asteroid 2024 PT5:

Orrery plots of the Earth-Moon system with asteroid 2023 JF: (see above images)

Orrery plots of near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 close approach to the Earth and the Moon:

Closest approach to Earth, December 25, 2024, 4:46 UTC -- 822,000 km (346 KB)
Closest approach to Earth, December 17, 2028, 12:16 UTC -- 8,007,000 km (102 KB)
Closest approach to Earth's surface, December 22, 2032, 8:36 UTC -- 260,487 km (Large File: 7.7 MB)
Closest approach to the Moon's surface, December 22, 2032, 15:10 UTC -- 8,945 km (Large File: 5.1 MB) (See above image)

Orrery animations of near-Earth asteroid 2024 DW close approach to the Earth and the Moon:

Juno Mission:

Earth Juno Mission Flyby (Gravity Assist) on October 9, 2013 (123 KB)

Links:

NASA Planetary Defense page on 2024 YR4: "Experts at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have updated 2024 YR4’s chance of impacting the Moon on Dec. 22, 2032 from 1.7% as of late February to 3.8% based on the Webb data and observations from ground-based telescopes. There is still a 96.2% chance that the asteroid will miss the Moon. In the small chance that the asteroid were to impact, it would not alter the Moon’s orbit. "
Wikipedia page on 2024 YR4
JPL Earth Impact Monitoring page
Wikipedia page on near-Earth asteroids in 2025