Gutenberg Discontinuity

Earth science

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June 29, 2026

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The Gutenberg discontinuity is the boundary between the Earth's mantle and its outer core, located approximately 2,800 kilometers below the surface. This boundary is identified by a significant change in how seismic waves travel through the Earth. Specifically, shear waves, which cannot pass through liquid, do not propagate through the outer core, indicating it is in a liquid state. This discovery was made by seismologist Beno Gutenberg, who analyzed earthquake wave data to understand the Earth's interior structure. The Gutenberg discontinuity is a key feature in the layered model of the Earth, which also includes the crust and mantle above it.12

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Earth exploration
Conclusions about the deep Earth
The mantle–core boundary is the Gutenberg discontinuity at a depth of about 2,800 kilometres. The outer core is thought to be liquid because shear waves do not pass through it.
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The mantle–core boundary is the Gutenberg discontinuity at a depth of about 2,800 kilometres. The outer core is thought to be liquid because shear waves do not pass through it.
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chemical element
Terrestrial distribution
…its underlying mantle, and the Wiechert–Gutenberg Discontinuity, which separates the mantle from the core. The latter discontinuity exists at a depth of 2,900 kilometres (1,800 miles); it is marked by a sudden increase in density, from about 5.7 at the base of the mantle to 9.7 at the top of…
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…its underlying mantle, and the Wiechert–Gutenberg Discontinuity, which separates the mantle from the core. The latter discontinuity exists at a depth of 2,900 kilometres (1,800 miles); it is marked by a sudden increase in density, from about 5.7 at the base of the mantle to 9.7 at the top of…
Read More