Wisdom and Geology, the North German Basin, and the Significance of Thrown Dices

Abstract

For thousands of years, mankind is observing the surrounding nature. Often, they found no obvious clues for inexplicable and complex facts, leading to the belief that their wisdom was limited. This is in the majority of cases still true today, but based on hundreds of years of (geo-) scientific work some older thoughts can now be readjusted by combining newer geological, environmental, historical and philosophical clues. Facts about the development of the North German Basin are used to demonstrate the variability of geological systems and how these can be described by taking dice as a metaphor for ruling geological parameters. This includes all kinds of plate tectonically controlled basin forming processes, especially metamorphism of the lower crust due to a fixed mantle plume, basin filling processes with their galactic and lunar overprints, basin modifying tectonics due to internal (halokinesis, inversion) or external forces (one-sided loads at the surface due to mighty Delta sediments or glacial ice sheets) and geochemical reactions as a result of pressure and temperature changes in course of subsidence. Especially, the Rotliegend (Lower Permian) Gas Play is one of the possible illustrations of the entity of the North German Basin with its more than 70 - 90 independent parameters belonging to a global set of very complex hydrocarbon systems. Processes on Earth like the formation of systems of hydrocarbon fields as well as environmental systems (e.g. river systems, lakes, islands, sedimentary basins) are subordinated to the dices of nature and are steered invisibly by a selection of rules of the game that one understands as natural laws. The facts and remaining uncertainties as well as problems with subsurface-related processes (e.g. manmade tectonics, subsidence and uplift) guide the thoughts of engaged individuals on how to proceed wisely with limited predictability of challenges and dangers of a subsurface system. This work will be a trial to associate once more the natural sciences (geology) and the humanities (philosophy) for the benefit of both.