Accelerated non-linear destruction of the earth's crust
The upper part of the Earth—the lithospheric layer, ∼100 km thick, is rigid. Segments of this spherical shell–lithospheric plates are drifting over a ductile asthenosphere. On the continents, the lithosphere includes the Earth's crust, ∼40 km thick, which is underlain by peridotitic rocks of th...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2001-01-01
|
| Series: | Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/S1026022601000322 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | The upper part of the Earth—the lithospheric layer, ∼100 km thick, is rigid. Segments of this spherical shell–lithospheric plates are drifting over a ductile asthenosphere. On the continents, the lithosphere includes the Earth's crust, ∼40 km thick, which is underlain by peridotitic rocks of the mantle. In most areas, at depths ∼20–40 km the continental crust is composed of basalts with density ∼2900kg m−3. At temperature and pressure typical for this depth, basalts are metastable and should transform into another assemblage of minerals which
corresponds to garnet granulites and eclogites with higher densities 3300–3600 kg m−3. The rate of this transformation is extremely low in dry rocks, and the associated contraction of basalts evolves during the time ≥108 a. To restore the Archimede's equilibrium, the crust subsides with a formation of sedimentary basins, up to 10–15 km deep. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1026-0226 1607-887X |