A Discussion on volcanism and the structure of the Earth - Silica saturation in cenozoic basalt

Cenozoic basalts are conspicuously either over- or undersaturated with respect to silica. Undersaturated basalts are strongly dominant in the mediterranean areas and in oceanic islands other than Hawaii. Oversaturated basalts are strongly dominant in Hawaii and throughout the circumoceanic environment. Both over- and undersaturated basalts are abundant on the continents. Silica-saturated basalts are dominant only in the submarine ridges, where fresh representatives of either of the other saturation types are still unknown. Experimental work suggests that initial or early melting fractions of basalts or their plutonic equivalents or precursors would usually be either over- or undersaturated regardless of the saturation state of the starting material. The bimodal distribution of silica saturation in Cenozoic basalts is thus compatible with, and provides little basis for preference among, a variety of Earth models in which basaltic lavas are presumed to be early melting fractions of pre-existing solid materials.

1975 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 395-407
Author(s):  
S. Henriksen

The first question to be answered, in seeking coordinate systems for geodynamics, is: what is geodynamics? The answer is, of course, that geodynamics is that part of geophysics which is concerned with movements of the Earth, as opposed to geostatics which is the physics of the stationary Earth. But as far as we know, there is no stationary Earth – epur sic monere. So geodynamics is actually coextensive with geophysics, and coordinate systems suitable for the one should be suitable for the other. At the present time, there are not many coordinate systems, if any, that can be identified with a static Earth. Certainly the only coordinate of aeronomic (atmospheric) interest is the height, and this is usually either as geodynamic height or as pressure. In oceanology, the most important coordinate is depth, and this, like heights in the atmosphere, is expressed as metric depth from mean sea level, as geodynamic depth, or as pressure. Only for the earth do we find “static” systems in use, ana even here there is real question as to whether the systems are dynamic or static. So it would seem that our answer to the question, of what kind, of coordinate systems are we seeking, must be that we are looking for the same systems as are used in geophysics, and these systems are dynamic in nature already – that is, their definition involvestime.


Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Sebastiano Trevisani

Modern Earth Scientists need also to interact with other disciplines, apparently far from the Earth Sciences and Engineering. Disciplines related to history and philosophy of science are emblematic from this perspective. From one side, the quantitative analysis of information extracted from historical records (documents, maps, paintings, etc.) represents an exciting research topic, requiring a truly holistic approach. On the other side, epistemological and philosophy of science considerations on the relationship between geoscience and society in history are of fundamental importance for understanding past, present and future geosphere-anthroposphere interlinked dynamics.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1826
Author(s):  
Mihaela Girtan ◽  
Antje Wittenberg ◽  
Maria Luisa Grilli ◽  
Daniel P. S. de Oliveira ◽  
Chiara Giosuè ◽  
...  

This editorial reports on a thorough analysis of the abundance and scarcity distribution of chemical elements and the minerals they form in the Earth, Sun, and Universe in connection with their number of neutrons and binding energy per nucleon. On one hand, understanding the elements’ formation and their specific properties related to their electronic and nucleonic structure may lead to understanding whether future solutions to replace certain elements or materials for specific technical applications are realistic. On the other hand, finding solutions to the critical availability of some of these elements is an urgent need. Even the analysis of the availability of scarce minerals from European Union sources leads to the suggestion that a wide-ranging approach is essential. These two fundamental assumptions represent also the logical approach that led the European Commission to ask for a multi-disciplinary effort from the scientific community to tackle the challenge of Critical Raw Materials. This editorial is also the story of one of the first fulcrum around which a wide network of material scientists gathered thanks to the support of the funding organization for research and innovation networks, COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).


Recent work has determined the depth of the Mohorovičić discontinuity at sea and has made it likely that peridotite xenoliths in basaltic volcanic rocks are samples of material from below the discontinuity. It is now possible to produce a hypothetical section showing the transition from a continent to an ocean. This section is consistent with both the seismic and gravity results. The possible reactions of the crust to changes in the total volume of sea water are dis­cussed. It seems possible that the oceans were shallower and the crust thinner in the Archean than they are now. If this were so, some features of the oldest rocks of Canada and Southern Rhodesia could be explained. Three processes are described that might lead to the formation of oceanic ridges; one of these involves tension, one compression and the other quiet tectonic conditions. It is likely that not all ridges are formed in the same way. It is possible that serpentization of olivine by water rising from the interior of the earth plays an important part in producing changes of level in the ocean floor and anomalies in heat flow. Finally, a method of reducing gravity observations at sea is discussed.


1883 ◽  
Vol 35 (224-226) ◽  
pp. 21-25

On Hind Head, a fine moorland plateau about three miles from Haslemere, with an elevation of 900 feet above the sea, I have recently erected a small iron hut, which forms, not only a place of rest, but an extremely suitable station for meteorological observations. Here, since the beginning of last November, I have continued to record from time to time the temperature of the earth’s surface as compared with that of the air above the surface. My object was to apply, if possible, the results which my experiments had established regarding the action of aqueous vapour upon radiant heat. Two stout poles about 6 feet high were firmly fixed in the earth 8 feet asunder. From one pole to the other was stretched a string, from the centre of which the air thermometer was suspended. Its bulb was 4 feet above the earth. The surface thermometer was placed upon a layer of cotton wool, on a spot cleared of heather, which thickly covered the rest of the ground. The outlook from the thermometers was free and extensive; with the exception of the iron hut just referred to, there was no house near, the hut being about 50 yards distant from the thermometers.


1928 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy J. Jackson

It is well known that in many orders of typically winged insects species occur which in the adult stage are apterous or have the wings so reduced in size that flight is impossible. Sometimes the reduction of wings affects one sex only, as in the case of the females of certain moths, but in the majority of cases it is exhibited by both sexes. In many instances wing dimorphism occurs irrespective of sex, one form of the species having fully developed wings and the other greatly reduced wings. In some species the wings are polymorphic. The problem of the origin of reduced wings and of other functionless organs is one of great interest from the evolutionary point of view. Various theories have been advanced in explanation, but in the majority of cases the various aspects of the subject are too little known to warrant discussion. More experimental work is required to show how far environmental conditions on the one hand, and hereditary factors on the other, are responsible for this phenomenon. Those species which exhibit alary dimorphism afford material for the study of the inheritance of the two types of wings, but only in a few cases has this method of research been utilized.


1963 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard E. Alsop

Abstract Periods of free vibrations of the spheroidal type have been calculated numerically on an IBM 7090 for the fundamental and first two shear modes for periods greater than about two hundred seconds. Calculations were made for four different earth models. Phase and group velocities were also computed and are tabulated herein for the first two shear modes. The behavior of particle motions for different modes is discussed. In particular, particle motions for the two shear modes indicate that they behave in some period ranges like Stoneley waves tied to the core-mantle interface. Calculations have been made also for a model which presumes a solid inner core and will be discussed in Part II. The two computer programs which were made for these calculations are described briefly.


1969 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 2079-2099
Author(s):  
John S. Derr

abstract All observations of the free oscillations of the Earth published through 1968 are weighted to produce a set of means and standard errors of the means. Fundamental orders 0 to 97 for spheroidal and 2 to 99 for torsional are treated, as well as many overtones up to order 49. Statistical tests indicate that some observations are path dependent at the 99 per cent confidence level. Comparison of these means and standard errors with published Earth models indicate that they form a consistent basis for inversion of free oscillation observations to infer Earth structures.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 4221-4227 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. McKenzie

Abstract. This paper provides an analysis of the combined theory of gravity-inertial-Rossby waves on a β-plane in the Boussinesq approximation. The wave equation for the system is fifth order in space and time and demonstrates how gravity-inertial waves on the one hand are coupled to Rossby waves on the other through the combined effects of β, the stratification characterized by the Väisälä-Brunt frequency N, the Coriolis frequency f at a given latitude, and vertical propagation which permits buoyancy modes to interact with westward propagating Rossby waves. The corresponding dispersion equation shows that the frequency of a westward propagating gravity-inertial wave is reduced by the coupling, whereas the frequency of a Rossby wave is increased. If the coupling is sufficiently strong these two modes coalesce giving rise to an instability. The instability condition translates into a curve of critical latitude Θc versus effective equatorial rotational Mach number M, with the region below this curve exhibiting instability. "Supersonic" fast rotators are unstable in a narrow band of latitudes around the equator. For example Θc~12° for Jupiter. On the other hand slow "subsonic" rotators (e.g. Mercury, Venus and the Sun's Corona) are unstable at all latitudes except very close to the poles where the β effect vanishes. "Transonic" rotators, such as the Earth and Mars, exhibit instability within latitudes of 34° and 39°, respectively, around the Equator. Similar results pertain to Oceans. In the case of an Earth's Ocean of depth 4km say, purely westward propagating waves are unstable up to 26° about the Equator. The nonlinear evolution of this instability which feeds off rotational energy and gravitational buoyancy may play an important role in atmospheric dynamics.


Traditio ◽  
1946 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Merlan

According to Aristotle all heavenly movement is ultimately due to the activity of forty-seven (or fifty-five) ‘unmoved movers'. This doctrine is highly remarkable in itself and has exercised an enormous historical influence. It forms part of a world-picture the outlines of which are as follows. The universe consists of concentric spheres, revolving in circles. The outermost of these bears the fixed stars. The other either bear planets or, insofar as they do not, contribute indirectly to the movements of the latter. Each sphere is moved by the one immediately surrounding it, but also possesses a movement of its own, due to its mover, an unmoved, incorporeal being. (It was these beings which the schoolmen designated as theintelligentiae separatae.) The seemingly irregular movements of the planets are thus viewed as resulting from the combination of regular circular revolutions. The earth does not move and occupies the centre of the universe. Such was Aristotle's astronomic system, essential parts of which were almost universally adopted by the Arabic, Jewish, and Christian philosophers of the Middle Ages.


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