Added pressure and temperature theory
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<h1 class="subHeadings">Theory</h1>
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<h2 class="theoryHeadings" id="pressureandtemp">Pressure and Temperature</h2>
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<p>
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</p>
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The heat contained within the Earth is generated by two main sources: the formation of the Earth,
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and the decay of radioactive isotopes. The Earth was formed by the accretion of a large number of
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planitesimals as it cleared its orbit. The impact of those planitesimals generated a large amount
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of heat which is still being lost from the Earth’s core today. The other source of heat comes
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from the radioactive decay of elements within the crust and mantle of the Earth.
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The primary radioactive isotopes in the Earth are uranium-235, uranium-238, thorium-232,
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and potassium-40. Radioactive decay is the dominant form of heat flow at the surface of the Earth,
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providing approximately 80% of the heat budget.
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<br /><br />
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The temperature of the Earth changes from around 0°C at the surface to over 5000°C in the core.
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The geothermal gradient in the crust is approximately 30°C per kilometre in the crust on average,
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however there is significant local variation due to things such as the conductive abilities of the
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rocks at particular locations, as well as the presence of nearby magmatic intrusions.
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The geothermal gradient in the mantle reduces significantly, down to approximately 0.3°C/km.
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The base of the lithosphere is defined by the 1000°C isotherm. The base of the mantle is at
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approximately 2800°C.
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<br /><br />
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The method of heat transfer changes throughout the Earth. There are three main mechanisms for
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heat transfer in the Earth: conduction, convection, and radiation. Starting in the inner core,
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the main method of heat transfer is by conduction through the solid material. In the liquid,
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outer core heat transfer is by both conduction and convection. The mantle is dominated by convection,
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which is the driver of plate tectonics. The crust is again dominated by conduction, and finally
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energy escapes the Earth to the atmosphere by radiation.
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<br /><br />
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Pressure in the Earth continually increases with depth, according to the formula P = gρz,
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where g is the gravitation field strength, ρ is the density and z is the depth. The main
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difference in the pressure gradient is cause by the different lithologies in the layers
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of the Earth. The average density of continental crust is approximately 2.7g/cm3 and
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is ~3.0 g/cm3 in oceanic crust, and increases to about 3.3 g/cm3 in the mantle.
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The increase of pressure with depth in the Earth affects the dominant mineralogy, as
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well as the increase of the melting point of different minerals.
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<br /><br />
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The structure of minerals, such as olivine becomes unstable as pressure increases.
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Below about 410km olivine becomes unstable and transforms into wadsleyite, which has the
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same chemical composition as olivine, but has a different crystal structure. As depth
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increases, wadsleyite transforms to ringwoodite, which subsequently transforms into
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perovskite at about 600km.
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<br /><br />
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At higher pressure, minerals have a higher melting point. The effect is this phenomenon
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is that the dominant method of melting in the mantle is not by increasing the temperature
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past its melting point, but by decompression. Due to convective processes in the mantle,
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as parts of the mantle rise the decrease in pressure lowers the melting temperature and
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can cause the mantle to melt.
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</p>
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<div id="pushDownThree"></div>
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</div>
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{% endblock %}
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