The Inaccessible Earth: Integrated View of its Structure and Composition

Brown, G. C.

ISBN 10: 041248160X / ISBN 13: 9780412481604

Editore: Chapman and Hall, 1993

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Codice articolo rev1171921688

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: The Inaccessible Earth: Integrated View of its Structure and Composition
• Editore: Chapman and Hall
• Data di pubblicazione: 1993
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 041248160X
• ISBN 13: 9780412481604
• Rilegatura: Rilegato
• Condizione: Good
• Peso: 499 grammi

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

This is the second edition of a unique treatment of the origin, structure and internal composition of the Earth, and synthesizes the geological, chemical and physical knowledge bearing on the Earth's inaccessible interior. It is an integrated and readable account suitable for undergraduate students and teachers of the Earth Sciences.
Why do we think that the centre of the earth is a nickel-iron alloy; or that the crust evolves by processes at spreading ridges, subduction zones and where plumes rise near the surface, or that the Earth's magnetic field is generated by convection in the molten outer core? The evidence comes from many disciplines but the contributions of geophysics and geochemistry are particularly important.
The text traces how the Earth's layered structure is revealed by seismic data and examines the variation of density with depth by combining knowledge of the Earth's mass and moment of inertia, deduced astronomically. Density is the prime constraint on chemical composition which is deduced also by reference to new theories of stellar evolution and planetary accretion, combined with evidence from the solar system and meteorites. The second half of the text goes on to describe the probable composition and physical state of the present day core, mantle and crust.
In the second edition, more emphasis is placed on dynamical processes at all depths in the Earth. These are a consequence of various forms of convection powered by heat released by radioactive decay and the cooling of the Earth. Effects such as mantle convection and the geomagnetic dynamo are reexamined in the light of our improved understanding, and geological evidence is used to construct a model for the evolutionary history of the Earth's continental crust.

Contenuti

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Aims and objectives.- 1.2 ‘The Inaccessible Earth’: an outline.- 1.3 History of ideas about the Earth.- Further reading.- 2 The contribution of seismology.- 2.1 Seismic waves.- 2.2 Deduction of P- and S-wave velocities at depth.- 2.3 Seismic velocities and the structure of the Earth.- 2.4 Surface waves.- 2.5 Free oscillations of the Earth.- Summary.- Further reading.- 3 The density within the Earth.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 The mass of the Earth.- 3.3 The moment of inertia of the Earth.- 3.4 The simple self-compression model: the Adams—Williamson equation.- 3.5 Defects of the self-compression model.- 3.6 More sophisticated models and a contemporary result for the Earth’s density variation.- Summary.- Further reading.- 4 The formation of the Solar System and the abundances of the elements.- 4.1 Why it is necessary to look outside the Earth.- 4.2 Introducing the Solar System and the Galaxy.- 4.3 Formation of the Solar System.- 4.4 Abundances of the elements.- 4.5 Meteorites and asteroids.- Summary.- Further reading.- 5 The accretion and layering of the terrestrial planets.- 5.1 The first 100 million years.- 5.2 Pre-planetary chemical processes.- 5.3 Post-accretional chemical processes.- 5.4 The Earth—Moon system: a special relationship.- 5.5 Mars, Venus and Mercury: a postscript.- Summary.- Further reading.- 6 The Earth’s core.- 6.1 Problems posed by the core.- 6.2 The Earth’s magnetic field and the problem of energy.- 6.3 Energy sources for the dynamo: (a) thermal convection.- 6.4 Compositions of the inner and outer cores.- 6.5 Energy sources for the dynamo: (b) compositional convection.- 6.6 Temperature in the core.- Summary.- Further reading.- 7 The mantle and oceanic crust.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 The upper mantle: mineralogical and chemical relationships.- 7.3 Experimental petrology and the upper mantle.- 7.4 Structure and evolution of spreading ridges.- 7.5 The transition zone.- 7.6 The lower mantle.- Summary.- Further reading.- 8 The dynamic mantle.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Rheology of the mantle.- 8.3 The thermal balance sheet: heat sources and sinks.- 8.4 Convection in the mantle.- 8.5 Temperature within the mantle.- 8.6 The Earth as a heat engine.- Summary.- Further reading.- 9 Evolution of the mantle.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Does convection cross the 660-km discontinuity?.- 9.3 Geochemical heterogeneity in the mantle.- 9.4 Synthesis.- Summary.- Further reading.- 10 The continental crust.- 10.1 The nature of the Earth’s continental crust.- 10.2 Crustal structure, composition and rheology.- 10.3 Processes in zones of lithospheric convergence.- 10.4 Processes in zones of lithospheric extension.- Summary.- Further reading.- 11 Evolution of the Earth’s continental crust.- 11.1 The framework of crustal evolution.- 11.2 Archaean and pre-Archaean Earth history.- 11.3 The Proterozoic.- 11.4 The Phanerozoic.- 11.5 Isotopes and crustal evolution.- 11.6 A history of the Earth and a final summary.- Further reading.- Postscript: the new state of ignorance.- Notes.- 1 Moment of inertia, angular momentum, etc..- 3 Electromagnetic stiffening, and heating.- 4 Radiometric dating.- 5 The atom and the nucleus.- 6 Electronegativity and the electronic structure of atoms.- 7 Earthquake fault-plane solutions.- 8 Gravity and the geoid.- References.