Valley, John W.,
A Cool Early Earth?. John W. Valley. - Scientific American, 2005. - SIRS Enduring Issues 2006. Article 20, Science, 1522-3264; .
Articles Contained in SIRS Enduring Issues 2006. Originally Published: A Cool Early Earth?, Oct. 2005; pp. 58-65.
"Since the 19th century, scientists have attempted to calculate how quickly the earth cooled, but few expected to find solid evidence. Although magma oceans initially glowed at temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius, a tantalizing suggestion of a more temperate early earth came from thermodynamic calculations showing that crust could have solidified on the surface within 10 million years. As the planet hardened over, the thickening layer of consolidated rock would have insulated the exterior from the high temperatures deep within the interior." (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN) The article discusses a new theory which states that the Earth's "surface may have cooled quickly--with oceans, nascent continents and the opportunity for life to form much earlier" than previously believed.
1522-3264;
Discoveries in science
Earth--Core
Earth--Crust
Earth--Internal structure
Earth--Origin
Earth--Surface
Earth temperature
Geology--Research
Zircon
AC1.S5
050
A Cool Early Earth?. John W. Valley. - Scientific American, 2005. - SIRS Enduring Issues 2006. Article 20, Science, 1522-3264; .
Articles Contained in SIRS Enduring Issues 2006. Originally Published: A Cool Early Earth?, Oct. 2005; pp. 58-65.
"Since the 19th century, scientists have attempted to calculate how quickly the earth cooled, but few expected to find solid evidence. Although magma oceans initially glowed at temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius, a tantalizing suggestion of a more temperate early earth came from thermodynamic calculations showing that crust could have solidified on the surface within 10 million years. As the planet hardened over, the thickening layer of consolidated rock would have insulated the exterior from the high temperatures deep within the interior." (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN) The article discusses a new theory which states that the Earth's "surface may have cooled quickly--with oceans, nascent continents and the opportunity for life to form much earlier" than previously believed.
1522-3264;
Discoveries in science
Earth--Core
Earth--Crust
Earth--Internal structure
Earth--Origin
Earth--Surface
Earth temperature
Geology--Research
Zircon
AC1.S5
050