EESA06H3 Lecture : EESA06 - Introduction to Planet Earth Lecture 3
12 Feb 2012
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Document Summary
earth history is the history of the oceans. what s happening in the present day, in terms of processes, is a guide to what happened in the ancient past. the theory that all geologic phenomena may be explained as the result of existing forces having operated uniformly from the origin of the earth to the present time. catostrophism opposite of uniformitarianism; evidence for cataclysmic activity on earth: exceptions to the uniformitarianism events (catostrophism) such as meteorite strike, the big bang and super volcanos. all the plate tectonic activity occurs around the margins. rifts narrow cracks that widened into young oceans and the modern day oceans are mature. continental slab being warmed from below: trapping heat from the mantle which tries to escape, a process called inflation. Intraplate earthquakes: all major rivers are structurally controlled by failed drifts, active drifts gulf of aden and the red sea, flood basalts.
