Escolar Documentos
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Geodynamics
Aim is to understand the workings of the solid
Earth and how it has evolved since accretion at
4.6 Ga
Semester 1: main objective is to explain the
distribution and origin of largelarge-scale structures
(e.g. sedimentary basins, mountain belts) in
relation to Earth processes
First five teaching slots run in parallel with Basin
Analysis & Petroleum Geology (focus on the
tectonic development of sedimentary basins)
Geodynamics
Basin Analysis & Petroleum
Geology
Lecture 1: recap of:
Compositional and rheological zonation of
Earth
Heat distribution
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Geothermal gradient
Estimated by heat flow measurements down
boreholes several km deep, results then
extrapolated by computer modelling
Different curves represent different assumed
parameters (e.g. heat flow, conductivity etc)
The effect of increased basal heat flow is to move
curves to the right, a reduced heat flow moves
curves to the left
Heat production probably much higher in the
Archaean - crust warmer than at present
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Summary so far
Oceanic lithosphere is stronger than continental
lithosphere
Younger lithosphere, characterized by higher heat
flow, is less strong than older lithosphere (with
lower heat flow)
If Archaean geotherms were steeper than at
present (i.e. higher heat flow), presumably
Archaean lithosphere would have been weaker
than more recent lithosphere
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Mesozoic--Cenozoic LIPs
Mesozoic
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