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Author Topic:   The hydrosphere-spending hypothesis
benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 12 (215501)
06-08-2005 10:17 PM


The hydrosphere-spending hypothesis: on its cause and its evolutional significance
(This is a long article, so I give a abstract first)
Abstract:
According to the sea-floor spreading hypothesis proposed by Hess and Dietz, the convection of the earth mantle means the interior substance and the outer substance of the earth are exchanged with each other continuously. Here we show that this exchange causes the oxygen from atmosphere to be absorbed by the interior substance of the earth persistently and irreversibly. The renewed oxygen comes from the hydrosphere, as the oxygen content is basically stable in the atmosphere, implying a spending of seawater, or a hydrosphere spending. The process of hydrosphere spending is related to the methane produced in the biosphere and decomposed by the suns ultraviolet ray in the upper atmosphere. The original earth is considered as a celestial body completely surrounded with water. The Cambrian explosion should be corresponding to the first land appearing on the hydrosphere.
This message has been edited by benllinliu, 06-08-2005 10:34 PM

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 Message 2 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:18 PM benllinliu has replied

benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 12 (215502)
06-08-2005 10:18 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:17 PM


Introduction:
1, Introduction:
Based on the results from marine geologic survey, Hess and Dietz put forward their hypothesis on sea-floor spreading in early 1960`s: under the influence of the thermal convection of the earth mantle, the rising flow of hot earth mantle forms new sea-floor under the mid-oceanic ridges, the newly formed sea-floor moves towards both sides with the thermal convection of the earth mantle along the mid-oceanic ridges, and eventually, the sea-floor dives back and melts in the mantle, when meeting the lithosphere of continent, which makes the counterbalance of sea-floor[1,2,3].
The sea-floor spreading hypothesis has not only advanced the theory of continental drift proposed by Waggener in the beginning of 20 century[4], but also laid a foundation for the plate theory of earth proposed by Wilson et al in 1965[5]. Furthermore, the sea-floor spreading hypothesis has led to an important conclusion: the outer layers, including the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere of the earth, and the interior layers, including the mantle and centrosphere are connected in their evolutional process, which should be a new approach for us to understand some mysteries in geo-science. As an attempt, we shall discuss a possible evolutional trend of the hydrosphere with the biosphere in this paper.

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 Message 1 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:17 PM benllinliu has replied

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benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 12 (215504)
06-08-2005 10:19 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:18 PM


The oxygen absorbed by the earths mantle
2, The oxygen absorbed by the earths mantle
As we known, the mass ratio of the lithosphere to the total mass of the earth, about 0.2%, is small, while that of the core, about 35%, is large, and that of the mantle, about 65%, is even larger[6].
The content of chemical elements is different in each layer. According to geological survey, the most abundant chemical element in the lithosphere is oxygen with percentage about 46%, and follows are silicon, aluminum, iron and magnesium, with percentages about 28%, 8%, 6% and 4% accordingly[6].
In general, based on the research on the chemical compositions of the meteorites, the ratio of chemical contents in the whole earth is different from in the lithosphere. The average ratios of chemical element in the whole earth is reckoned as follows: the largest portion is iron with a ratio about 35%, next is oxygen with a ratio about 30%, then silicon with a ratio about 15%, magnesium with a ratio about 13%. There also exist some portions of aluminum, sulfur and other chemical elements in the earth. So it is clearly, as a whole, the substance of the earth should be in the state of deoxidization, though the atmosphere includes oxygen being in the state of oxidization[6].
The redox characteristic of a terrestrial planet, as a whole, is out of our focus directly. However, the characteristic of a Jovan planet is clear. Jupiter and the others include large quantity of hydrogen being in deoxidizing state, which can be considered as an indirect evidence to demonstrate the substance of the whole earth is in the deoxidizing state.
The convection of the mantle is one of the important factors dominating geo-chemical cycle. The chemical elements in the mantle and that in hydrosphere are exchanged when the rising mantle meets with the hydrosphere on the mid-oceanic ridges. The black chimney in the ocean floor is a well-marked fact: the cold water become hot, and exchanges the chemical component with the newly formed basalt, while the seawater meets the newly formed sea-floor[7]. The oxygen from the atmosphere would be absorbed, when the deoxidants from the mantle are oxidized, e.g. the hematite is formed with the iron and FeO from the mantle on the sea-floor. Moreover, the sulfide gushed from the mantle is a conspicuous killer of the oxygen from the atmosphere: e.g. one portion of FeS from the mantle will absorbs more than 5 portions of oxygen, 4 portions of oxygen will be absorbed when the vitriol root is formed, and other one and half is needed when the Fe2O3 is formed.
It is obvious that the process of absorbing oxygen by the substance from the mantle is boosted up through breaking forth of volcano, weathering and other geological process.
In general, the process of absorbing oxygen by the mantle substance can not be proceeded, if there is no oxygen in the atmosphere. We therefore can assume that the speed of absorbing oxygen by the mantle substance is proportional to the density of oxygen in the atmosphere.
A =D (1)
Where A is the speed coefficient of absorbing oxygen by the mantle substance, is a ratio coefficient, and D is the density of oxygen in the atmosphere.
In summary, the mechanism of absorbing oxygen by the mantle substance is irreversible, when the substances from the mantle and the outer layers of the earth, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, are exchanged in the process of sea-floor spreading.
This message has been edited by benllinliu, 06-08-2005 10:26 PM

This message is a reply to:
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benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 12 (215505)
06-08-2005 10:20 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:18 PM


the oxygen renewed from hydrosphere through the biosphere
3, the oxygen renewed from hydrosphere through the biosphere
Comparing with the mass ratio of the mantle to the total mass of the earth, which is about 65%, the mass ratio of the atmosphere is very small, only 1 ppm to the total earth mass. As we known, about one-fifths of the atmosphere is oxygen, so the oxygen in the atmosphere is only (1/5) ppm to the total earth mass. Such a scale of oxygen in the earth would have been absorbed completely with the convection of the mantle substance in the long geological ages, no matter what is the original source of the oxygen in the atmosphere.
Nevertheless, it is true that there is no a period at all when the oxygen in the atmosphere is absorbed completely, judging from the characteristic of the continuance and evolution of the biosphere on the earth.
A possible conclusion is that there must be a source mechanism in renewing oxygen, besides the oxygen leak mechanism consuming oxygen by the earth mantle discussed above. The oxygen content in the atmosphere is maintained stable when the leak mechanisms is counterbalanced by the renewing mechanism.
What could play the mechanism of renewing oxygen in the evolution process of the earth?
Because the substance in mantle is in the deoxidizing state as discussed above, and it is because of the deoxidizing state, the expending oxygen from the atmosphere is formed, so we cannot imagine that the renewing oxygen would be supplied from the earth mantle.
Furthermore, we cannot imagine that the renewing oxygen comes from outer space either, because meteorite and cosmic dust cannot act as the source of oxygen to counterbalance the absorbing oxygen of the mantle.
It has been shown recently that the renewal of the oxygen should come from the hydrosphere, and the process of renewing oxygen is corresponding to the presence of biosphere on the earth(8).
In the circulating process of biosphere, the most important circulation is well known: the plants, acting as the producers, absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and water, make oxygen and carbohydrate, while the animals acting as the consumers, consume the oxygen and carbohydrate, make carbon dioxide and water. And it is also well known that methane produced by lots of germs is put into the atmosphere through the biosphere circulation. The methane is put out from everglade, lake and some shallow sea, it is also put out from paddy field, meadow and forest[9].
It is worthy to remark that the methane (and other hydrocarbons) been produced would have withdrawn out the circulation of the biosphere, since the producers (the plants) of the biosphere cannot absorb the methane as if dioxide carbon. So the methane should be detained out the biosphere, and would become more and more in the atmosphere. This would mean a much serious aftereffect: not only strong effects of hothouse which has been reviewed widely in the popular comment, but also a big blast danger when the methane in the atmosphere run up to a certain density through about 100 thousands years. As we known, a period of 100 thousands years is not a long period in geological age!
But, there is no any evidence to show that the blast had occurred ever in the past time. In fact, it is a little quantity that there exists the methane in the atmosphere, though the biosphere put out the methane into atmosphere continuously from ancient to now. The little existence of the methane does not constitute a clear threat to the human safety, so people do not concern very much that how and where the methane in the atmosphere is transformed.
Say generally, methane is a kind of gas with stable chemical property.
Before the time of mankind entering the space, Bates et al in 1950 proposed that the methane would be oxidized gradually by hydroxyl[10]. However, the hydroxyl oxidizing process was not validated strictly, and academic cycle often considered that whereabouts of the methane in the atmosphere is still a misty branch with necessary of further research[11], though the explanation of the methane oxidized gradually by hydroxyl is popular in the world now.
In fact, an important clue for understanding whereabouts of the methane has appeared clearly since the mankind entered the space ages. It was observed through the space-probing rocket in 1955, that the resonating spectral line with wavelength of 1216 angstrom radiated by hydrogen atoms is very clear. Later, people knew that there is a great deal hydrogen atom in the upper atmosphere, and this is called as Geocorona in space physics[12.13].
We suppose, the hydrogen in Geocorona is produced from the methane when it is decomposed by the suns ultraviolet radiation. According to the kinetic theory, the speed of hydrogen atoms is 4 times of that for oxygen at the same temperature, and it is close the escape velocity of the earth when the hydrogen atom is under circumstance of high temperature in the exosphere. Geocorona is an obvious symbol of the escaping hydrogen, however, as our understanding, it is not equivalent to the main portion of the escaping hydrogen. The hydrogen would escape to outer space from the atmosphere through 4 steps within 24 hours as follows:
1, the methane diffuses up in the troposphere when the stratosphere becomes high at night;
2, the methane enters the stratosphere when the stratosphere becomes low at forenoon;
3, the methane in the stratosphere is decomposed to hydrogen atom by the ultraviolet radiation from the sun during noon. The decomposed hydrogen atoms can not escape away immediately because of the pressure of the sunlight, so the atoms will be gathered in stratosphere for a period;
4, the gathered hydrogen atoms escape to the outer space in dusk. The speed of the escaping hydrogen atoms is accumulated according to three factors: the kinetic theory, the pressure of the sunlight and the rotation of the earth.
The beam of escaping hydrogen should be not far from the equator as the earth rotating speed at the equator is fastest, so the escaping beam of the hydrogen should be round the equator, which can be called a arc escaping beam of setting sun. Some part of the hydrogen with lower speed in the escaping beam would append to Geocorona, while the main part of escaping hydrogen would run away in the arc scaping beam of setting sun.
Since the escaped hydrogen atoms come primarily from the hydrosphere, so the residual oxygen would renew to atmosphere naturally as the water in the hydrosphere is spent away gradually.
How much the water on the original earth?
In general, the hydrosphere should be considered coming from the substance forming the earth. Lots of valuable messages can be gotten from the research on meteorites, which is considered coming from the original solar system and have traveled in the space for billions years.
The water in the original ocean should be more than 300 times of that in the hydrosphere nowadays, if the water in the primitive mantle substance is same as one of main kind of meteorites, the global carbon meteorite. At least, the water in the original hydrosphere should be about 8-10 times of that in the hydrosphere nowadays, even if the water in the primitive lithosphere substance is same as the global carbon meteorite[14]. So we can see, It is more than 20 km that the depth of the original ocean would be. This mean the original earth should be surrounded with water completely.
For all that, we can find a true instance of celestial body in the solar system, which is surrounded by water completely. According to the photos and data from the space explorers Travelers and Galileo, scientists find that, the Europa, one of the big satellites rounding the Jupiter, is surrounded by an ice-layer completely. It is sure of that the satellite is surrounded by a hydrosphere with the depth more than 10 km under the ice-layer[15].
This message has been edited by benllinliu, 06-08-2005 10:27 PM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:18 PM benllinliu has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:29 PM benllinliu has replied

benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 5 of 12 (215510)
06-08-2005 10:29 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:20 PM


The significance of hydrosphere spending on biological evolution
4. The significance of hydrosphere spending on biological evolution
Based on the discussion above, a riddle, the cause of formation of Cambrian explosion in the can be understood quite naturally [16,17].
Jupiter is more far away from the sun than that of the earth, so the energy obtained of the earth from the sun is much more than that of the Europa. The earth is always quite warm with the water on the earth in liquid state except where on the two poles of the earth, while the Europa is always covered with ice thoroughly. It can be imagined, plankton such as blue algae, can exist on the surface of the warm water on the earth.
Some hydrosphere expending through methane or other gases should exist whenever the biosphere appears on the earth. The hydrosphere expending would be strengthen on the earth when some water molecules on the upper atmosphere is decomposed under the ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
After long time, some tableland under the original ocean would be near to the oceanic surface and form sea-floor of the shallow sea gradually in a certain period, along with the water in the hydrosphere is spent through the biosphere on the earth gradually.
The sea-floor of the shallow sea, is bright, warm with the sunlight, and flush with oxygen. A lot of plankton should be soon seasoned with the new circumstance under the shallow sea, then formed advanced species rapidly through evolution. So we considered, the appearance of sea-floor of shallow sea should be a milestone for the biological evolution.
The boom of the biosphere should ascend up the speed of producing of methane. So the speed of producing hydrogen and oxygen should ascend up accordingly. The density of oxygen in the atmosphere also should be ascended according to (1). The biological environment on the earth would be further improved when the oceanic surface is lowered further, and the oxygen density in the atmosphere is increased. So we can see, it is a positive feedback process that the biological evolution in this period should be.
Along with the flourish of the biosphere, the competition, even the prey between the living creatures should appear gradually, and this should lead that some earlier species would be deracinated, which appeared earlier without competition and without natural enemies.
The consideration above happens to have the same view of Cambrian explosion 16, which have been a puzzle since Darwinian Theory of Evolution is proposed in 19th century.
In fact, the phenomena of Cambrian explosion would be boosted up with the mechanism of forming fossil.
According to the principle of geological paleontology, the corpse of a creature must be covered with some sediment immediately, so that the fossil would be formed through geological ages.
It would be impossible that the animal corpse on the sea-floor, if any, is covered with sediment brought about by the wave on the oceanic surface, if the sea-floor is far away from oceanic surface.
The mechanism of forming fossil would become mature, when the tableland, basset up the oceanic surface, since some violent current of water would be formed on the marsh because of the tide, a storm or a heavy rain.
When the Cambrian explosion occurred was a certain period, so the average ratio of the hydrosphere expending hypothesis after Cambrian can be reckoned, if the height of the tableland in Cambrian is determined.
The topmost tableland in the world nowadays is Tibet Tableland, and its average altitude is about 4500 meters. How high was the topmost tableland in Cambrian? Some subtle factors, such as the change of the driving power for convection of the earth mantle, the soil erosion of the tableland and the principle of isostasy should be considered, when the height of the tableland in Cambrian is reckoned.
As the simplest case, we assume that the height of the tableland in Cambrian was also about 5000 miters, which is just like that in the world todays. This would mean, the oceanic surface has been lowered over 5000 meters since Cambrian, as 2 times of water on the earth nowadays has been spent within the past 600 million years.
In general, the Cambrian explosion is considered lasting out 30 million years, and the climax of the explosion is considered lasting out 3 million years[16,17]. So we can see, the oceanic surface would descend about 300 miters during Cambrian explosion, and the oceanic surface would descend about 30 miters during the climax of Cambrian explosion. As our understanding, the oceanic surface descending 30 meters should be a enough factor to trigger the explosion in a certain critical age.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:20 PM benllinliu has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 6 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:30 PM benllinliu has replied

benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 6 of 12 (215511)
06-08-2005 10:30 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:29 PM


Conclusion
5, conclusion
In conclusion, the oxygen in the atmosphere would be absorbed by the substance form the mantle, the renewing oxygen for the spending is come from the hydrosphere of the earth. The biosphere relates closely to the hydrosphere expending: the hydrosphere-expending should be proceeded according to the biosphere, and some important events of biological evolution, such as Cambrian explosion should be caused by hydrosphere expending. The hydrosphere-expending hypothesis should be a clue for us to understand why, how and when the terrestrial animal and plant appeared on the land. Further more, it is probably a revelation for us to research the history of Mars and Venus.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:29 PM benllinliu has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:31 PM benllinliu has replied

benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 7 of 12 (215512)
06-08-2005 10:31 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:30 PM


Acknowledgement:
Acknowledgement:
The authors are grateful to Mr. Zhu Zemin and Mrs. Wang Qiong and Miss Liu Xi-qing for the their helps, The authors are also grateful to Dr. Zhou Jun-hong, Dr. Peng Yi-hu, Prof.. Kong Xiang-peng, Prof. J. G. Sha, Prof. Chen Juan-yuan, Prof. Wan Xiao-qiao and Prof. Zhao Li-ming for their useful discussions.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by benllinliu, posted 06-08-2005 10:30 PM benllinliu has replied

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benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 8 of 12 (215513)
06-08-2005 10:32 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by benllinliu
06-08-2005 10:31 PM


Reference:
Reference:
1. Hess H. H., History of ocean basins, in petrologic studies, A volume of honor, (edit by A. F. Buddinglon), Geol. Soc. Am. 86, 599 C620(1962),
2. Dietz R. S., Passive continents spreading sea-floors and collapsing continental rises, Am. J. Sci. 264, 177-193(1966)
3. Qian Xiang-lin & Ma Wen-puSpreading sea-floors hopothesis, in Chinese Encyclopaedia (editor-in-chief by Hu Qiaio-mu,), Book of Geology (edit by Chen Yu-qi) 247 (1988)
4. Wegener A. F. Die Entstehung der Kontinente und Ozeane, Friedr Vieweg & Sohn Braunschweig, ( republished in 1980).
5. Wilson J. T. A new class of faults and their bearing on continental drift, Nature, 207, 343-7(1965)
6. Schlesinger W. H., Biogeochemistry C An Analysis of Global Change. Academic Press San Diego, 588, 15-46(1997)
7. Gu Hong-kan, Hot spring on the sea-floor, in Chinese Encyclopaedia (editor-in-chief by Hu Qiaio-mu), Book of ocean science, (edit by Zeng Chen-kui), 107-25(1990)
8. Liu Ben-lin, A interesting talk on historic trend of the land-and-water change of the earth, World Science (in Chinese) 305, 36-42 (2004)
9. Donalue T. M. The atmospheric CH4 beget, Proc. of the Nats advanced study, (edit by Nicclet H. & Aikin A. C.) Reidel Publshing Company(1967)
10. Bates C. A. Nicolet M. Atmospheric hydrogen, Publi. Astro. Soc. Pacific 02, 106 (1950),
11. Iribarne J. V. & Cho H.-R. Atmospheric Physics D. Reidel Publishing Company, (1980)
12. Wu Jian-zheng, Geocorona, in Chinese Encyclopaedia editor-in-chief by Hu Qiaio-mu,, Book of Space Science (edit by Lu Bao-wei) (1988)
13. B.A.Tinsley, B. A. Hydrogen in the Upper Atmosphere, (edit by C. W. Gordon)Gordon and BreachNewYork,1978.
14. Zhang Zheng-bin, Chen Zhen-dong, Liu Lian-sheng and Wang Zhao-ding, the Principle and Application of Oceanic Chemistry(in Chinese) Ocean Publishing HouseISBN7- 5027- 4307-3/P.512 13-401999
15. Wan Tong-shan, Survey on the Planets(in Chinese), compiled according to the data from NASA. Shanghai Publishing House of Literature of Science and Technology, ISBN7-S439-1778-5/P.005, (2002)
16 Chen Jun-Yuan, the Dawn of Animal World, Jiang-su Sience & Technolegy Publishing House, ISBN7-5345-3797-5/Q.13,(2004)
17. Guo Hong-jun, Evolution of Ancient Geology, in Chinese Encyclopaediaeditor-in-chief by Hu Qiao-mu,Book of Geologyedits by Cheng Yu-qi(1988)

This message is a reply to:
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benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 9 of 12 (215576)
06-09-2005 8:19 AM


Please discussthe hydrosphere spending hypothesis: is it wright?
Please discussthe hydrosphere spending hypothesis: is it wright?

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by AdminJar, posted 06-09-2005 11:21 AM benllinliu has replied

AdminJar
Inactive Member


Message 10 of 12 (215615)
06-09-2005 11:21 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by benllinliu
06-09-2005 8:19 AM


Re: Please discussthe hydrosphere spending hypothesis: is it wright?
First, welcome to EvC.
I've been holding off promoting this topic for a couple reasons. I think it's an interesting idea but the way you've laid it out needs some work before it gets promoted.
May I please get you to make a few changes simply to HOW the idea is presented.
First, the length itself is too long. Can you start with a short paragraph outlining your position.
Additional information can be added by responses to questions asked.
See if you can reduce the initial post to 500 words or so.
Do this in a post responding to this message (small blue button on lower right) and I'll try to get this promoted.

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This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by benllinliu, posted 06-09-2005 8:19 AM benllinliu has replied

Replies to this message:
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benllinliu
Inactive Member


Message 11 of 12 (215712)
06-09-2005 5:59 PM
Reply to: Message 10 by AdminJar
06-09-2005 11:21 AM


Re: Please discussthe hydrosphere spending hypothesis: is it wright?
I just try to understand your advice.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 10 by AdminJar, posted 06-09-2005 11:21 AM AdminJar has replied

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AdminJar
Inactive Member


Message 12 of 12 (221313)
07-02-2005 10:27 AM
Reply to: Message 11 by benllinliu
06-09-2005 5:59 PM


Re: Please discussthe hydrosphere spending hypothesis: is it wright?
Your revised OP has been promoted to Miscellaneous Topics in the Sciece area. Closing this one.

This message is a reply to:
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