Tag: geology

Geomagnetic Galactic Record

During the solar journey through galactic space, variations in the physical properties of the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM) modify the heliosphere and modulate the flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) at the surface of the Earth, with consequences for the terrestrial record of cosmogenic radionuclides. 1 phenomenon that needs studying is the effect on cosmogenic isotope production of changing anomalous cosmic ray fluxes at Earth due to variable interstellar ionizations. The possible range of interstellar ram pressures and ionization levels in the low density solar environment generate dramatically different possible heliosphere configurations, with a wide range of particle fluxes of interstellar neutrals, their secondary products, and GCRs arriving at Earth. Simple models of the distribution and densities of ISM in the downwind direction give cloud transition timescales that can be directly compared with cosmogenic radionuclide geologic records. Both the interstellar data and cosmogenic radionuclide data are consistent with cloud transitions during the Holocene, with large and assumption-dependent uncertainties. The geomagnetic timeline derived from cosmic ray fluxes at Earth may require adjustment to account for the disappearance of anomalous cosmic rays when the Sun is immersed in ionized gas.

the magnetization of ancient rocks can be used to calculate the 3d shape of galactic dust clouds.

Earth Water

All the water in the world (1.4b km3) and all the air in the atmosphere (5140 * 10e18 kg) gathered into a ball at sea-level density. Shown on the same scale as the Earth.

2008-10-30:

An “atlas of hidden water” has been created to reveal where the world’s freshwater aquifers really lie. “The hope is that it will help pave the way to an international law to govern how water is shared around the world.”

Useful to predict the wars of the future.
2013-12-07:

The volume of this water resource is 100x greater than the amount we’ve extracted from the Earth’s subsurface in the past century

2020-11-24:

The mantle transition zone (MTZ) at a depth of 410 to 660 km is considered to be a potential water reservoir because its dominant minerals, wadsleyite and ringwoodite, can contain large amounts of water up to 3 weight %. To fit the observed mantle viscosity profiles, ringwoodite in the MTZ should contain 1 to 2 wt % water. The MTZ should thus be nearly water-saturated globally.

The MTZ is estimated to hold 3x the amount of water as the world’s oceans. This makes books like Flood more plausible. earlier estimates thought it was more like 2x:

Evidence suggests the middle of Earth’s mantle holds as much water as the planet’s oceans. If scientists can prove without doubt that the middle mantle is filled with water, it calls into question theories that suggest water arrived on Earth from comets.

See also 2.8t Tons of Fresh Water Under the Ocean

Low-salinity submarine groundwater contained within continental shelves is a global phenomenon. While low-salinity groundwater is thought to be abundant, its distribution and volume worldwide is poorly understood due to the limited number of observations. The data suggest a continuous submarine aquifer system spans at least 350 km of the US Atlantic coast and contains 2.8t tons of low-salinity groundwater.