Earths Structure

Origin of the Earth

Meteors and Asteroids bombarded the Earth Gravitational compression

Density Stratified planet

Earths Interior
Core
dense Iron and Nickel Inner Core - solid Outer Core - liquid Less dense than core Iron and Magnesium silicates Mostly solid Upper mantle is partially molten

Mantle

Crust
Outermost layer Very thin and rigid Continental granite Density = 2.8 g/cm3 Oceanic basalt Density = 3.0 g/cm3

Evidence of Internal Structure

Density calculate density of Earth Speculate on probable compositions Meteorites Use composition and age to determine composition and age of Earth
Seismic waves Travel times and direction give indication of internal structure of Earth

Granite Basalt

Types of Seismic Waves

P waves
Primary waves Push and pull movement Travel fastest (~ 6 km/sec) Travel thru solids and liquids

S waves
Secondary waves

Move side-to-side
Slower (~ 4 km/sec) Travel thru solids only

Seismic Waves Through Earth

Lithosphere
Consists of continental, oceanic and upper part of mantle Continents composed of granitetype rock, quartz and feldspar minerals, density+2.8g/cm3 Oceanic crust formed of basalt; basalt rich in iron/magnesium minerals, density+3.0 g/cm3 Lithosphere is rigid layer of crust and mantle overlying partially-molten asthenosphere

Continental Drift Evidence

Researchers noted geographic fit of continents e.g. Africa and S. America Atlantic formed by separation of Africa from S. America Seuss, 1885, proposed super continent by studying fossils, rocks, mountains Wegener and Taylor, early 1900s, proposed continental drift and Pangaea Evidence supporting the idea that the continents had drifted. Geographic fit of continents Fossils Mountains Glaciation

Continental Drift
Geographic Fit

Continents seem to fit together like pieces of a puzzle

Continental Drift
Fossils

Similar distribution of fossils such as the Mesosaurus

Continental Drift
Mountains

Mountain ranges match across oceans

Continental Drift
Glaciation

Glacial ages and climate evidence

Continental Drift Model

Problems
Alfred Wegener
Presented research to professionals Did not provide a plausible mechanism to explain how continents drifted

Seafloor Spreading
Continental drift reexamined in 1960s with new information New theory developed Seafloor spreading Supporting evidence for seafloor spreading World seismicity Volcanism Age of seafloor Paleomagnetism Heat flow Theory combining continental drift and seafloor spreading termed Plate Tectonics

Seafloor Spreading

New sea floor created at the mid-ocean ridge

and destroyed in deep ocean trenches

Evidence for Seafloor Spreading

World Seismicity

Earthquake distribution matches plate boundaries

Evidence for Seafloor Spreading

Volcanism

Volcanoes match some plate boundaries; some are

hot spots

Evidence for Seafloor Spreading

Age of Seafloor

Youngest sea floor is at mid-ocean ridge Oldest sea floor away from mid-ocean ridge

Evidence for Seafloor Spreading

Paleomagnetism

Earth has a magnetic field - Probably caused by rotation of

solid inner core in liquid outer core (both mostly Fe) When rocks cool at the Earths surface, they record Earths magnetic field (normal or reverse polarity)

Evidence for Seafloor Spreading

Paleomagnetism

Paleomagnetic studies indicate alternating

stripes of normal and reverse polarity at the mid-ocean ridge.

Seafloor Spreading
Heat Flow

Seafloor Spreading
Convection Currents

In 1960, proposed as driving force to move continents

Theory of Plate Tectonics

John Tuzo Wilson combined ideas of continental

drift and seafloor spreading into Plate Tectonics

Principles of Plate Tectonics

Earths outermost layer composed of thin rigid plates moving horizontally Plates interact with each other along their edges (plate boundaries)
Plate boundaries have high degree of tectonic activity mountain building earthquakes volcanoes

Plate Boundaries
Three types

Divergent Convergent Transform

Plate Boundaries
Divergent

Plates move away from each other New crust is being formed

Divergent Plate Boundaries

Examples

East African Rift

Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge

Plate Boundaries
Convergent
Three Types:
Ocean-continent Ocean-ocean Continent-continent

Plates are moving toward each other Crust is being destroyed

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Mount Fuji, Japan

Examples

Mount Lassen, California

Andes, South America

Plate Boundaries
Transform
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Crust is neither created nor destroyed

Plates slide past one another

Transform Plate Boundaries

Examples
San Andreas Fault

Calexico, California Carrizo Plains, Central California