Continent-ocean differences and a differentiation of the earth

Abstract

The composition of residual matter after the segregation of the crust from the mantle is calculated. The most probable components of the mantle: garnet-peridotitic, pyrolitic and chondritic, were taken into consideration and the continental, oceanic and olivine-tholeiitic crust segregated from them. The probability of the existence of each of the proposed mantle types may be estimated as based on the obtained residual matter. It is established that the hypothesis of the pyrolitic mantle is the most acceptable. A comparison of the compositions of the continental and oceanic crust makes evident that there exist two types of differentiation processes in the upper mantle. One of them leads to the development of continents, the second of the oceanic areas. In the first case the partial melting in the mantle and the ascent of magma are accompanied by an additional evacuation of silica (?) and especially of potassium. This rise of supplementary light substance embraces the depths as great as 1000 km or more. In the case of oceanic crust such an additional rise of matter is absent since there only partial melting in the mantle takes place and accordingly the depth of the differentiation is much smaller. The differences in the process of the earth's differentiation may be easier explained if the mantle is assumed to be mobile, instead of an immobile mass. It is assumed that a differentiation of the primary matter of the planet takes place near the mantle-core boundary and that the uplift of the much lighter silicate differentiation is in the asthenosphere. On this level the mantle becomes partially melted and the resultant liquid rises into the crust. This liquid is enriched by sialic substances, particularly by potassium and may be by silica. In the regions where the rise of matter from great depth is lacking, continental crust is not formed, and oceanic crust is born. The above comparison leads in particular to the following additional conclusions: the chemical differences of the continental crust and the oceanic crust do not permit the hypotheses of continenta drift, nor of the spreading of the ocean floor and the transformation of the continental crust into oceanic. All these hypotheses become incompatible with the chemical composition of the crust.