Reference Tables for Physical Setting/EARTH SCIENCE

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Reference Tables for Physical Setting/EARTH SCIENCE The University of the State of New York • THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT • Albany, New York 12234 • www.nysed.gov Reference Tables for Physical Setting/EARTH SCIENCE Radioactive Decay Data Specific Heats of Common Materials RADIOACTIVE DISINTEGRATION HALF-LIFE MATERIAL SPECIFIC HEAT ISOTOPE (years) (Joules/gram • °C) 14 3 Liquid water 4.18 Carbon-14 14C N 5.7 × 10 Solid water (ice) 2.11 40Ar 40 × 9 Water vapor 2.00 Potassium-40 K 40 1.3 10 Ca Dry air 1.01 206 9 Uranium-238 238U Pb 4.5 × 10 Basalt 0.84 Granite 0.79 87 87 × 10 Rubidium-87 Rb Sr 4.9 10 Iron 0.45 Copper 0.38 Equations Lead 0.13 distance between foci Eccentricity = length of major axis Properties of Water change in field value Gradient = Heat energy gained during melting . 334 J/g distance Heat energy released during freezing . 334 J/g change in value Rate of change = Heat energy gained during vaporization . 2260 J/g time Heat energy released during condensation . 2260 J/g mass Density = volume Density at 3.98°C . 1.0 g/mL Average Chemical Composition of Earth’s Crust, Hydrosphere, and Troposphere ELEMENT CRUST HYDROSPHERE TROPOSPHERE (symbol) Percent by mass Percent by volume Percent by volume Percent by volume Oxygen (O) 46.10 94.04 33.0 21.0 Silicon (Si) 28.20 0.88 Aluminum (Al) 8.23 0.48 Iron (Fe) 5.63 0.49 Calcium (Ca) 4.15 1.18 Sodium (Na) 2.36 1.11 Magnesium (Mg) 2.33 0.33 Potassium (K) 2.09 1.42 Nitrogen (N) 78.0 Hydrogen (H) 66.0 Other 0.91 0.07 1.0 1.0 2011 EDITION Eurypterus remipes This edition of the Earth Science Reference Tables should be used in the classroom beginning in the 2011–12 school year. The first examination for which these tables will be used is the January 2012 Regents Examination in New York State Fossil Physical Setting/Earth Science. Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables —2011Edition Tables Setting/Earth Physical Science Reference Generalized Landscape Regions of New York State Interior s Grenville Province d Lowlands n a (Highlands) l w o St. Lawrence Lowlands L n i a l Interior Lowlands p Adirondack m a Mountains h C Lake Ontario Tug Hill Plateau Erie-Ontario Lowlands (Plains) s Lake Erie d n a l w Allegheny Plateau o L (Highlands) k w New England Province a h The Catskills o M Taconic Mountains - n o s) s d d an u pl H Hudson Highlands (U au Manhattan Prong te la P Key n Major geographic province boundary lain ia al P h ast c Landscape region boundary Co a ic l State boundary nt a Newark tla p Lowlands A p International boundary A Miles N 0204010 30 50 WE 0204060 80 2 Kilometers S Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables —2011Edition Tables Setting/Earth Physical ScienceReference 73° 75° 74° 45° 45° Generalized Bedrock Geology of New York State MASSENA modified from GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLATTSBURGH NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 76° St. Lawrence River 1989 N I A L P M MT. MARCY A H C 44° VERMONT 44° WATERTOWN iver R elevation 75 m LAKE OLD FORGE LAKE ONTARIO 79° 78° 77° Hudson OSWEGO r e v UTICA i ROCHESTER NIAGARA FALLS R SYRACUSE a r 43° a 43° g Mohawk a i N River BUFFALO elevation 175 m ALBANY LAKE FINGER LAKES ERIE Genesee River ITHACA River JAMESTOWN ELMIRA BINGHAMTON MASSACHUSETTS River SLIDE MT. Susquehanna 42° 42° KINGSTON 79° 78° 77° 76° Delaware PENNSYLVANIA Hudson River GEOLOGIC PERIODS AND ERAS IN NEW YORK 75° CONNECTICUT CRETACEOUS and PLEISTOCENE (Epoch) weakly consolidated to unconsolidated gravels, sands, and clays NEW JERSEY LATE TRIASSIC and EARLY JURASSIC conglomerates, red sandstones, red shales, basalt, and diabase (Palisades sill) SOUND AND Dominantly ISL PENNSYLVANIAN and MISSISSIPPIAN conglomerates, sandstones, and shales G N 73° 41° sedimentary O 41° DEVONIAN limestones, shales, sandstones, and conglomerates L 41° RIVERHEAD 72° SILURIAN } SILURIAN also contains salt, gypsum, and hematite. origin NEW YORK ORDOVICIAN CITY limestones, shales, sandstones, and dolostones LONG ISLAND CAMBRIAN } } ATLANTIC OCEAN CAMBRIAN and EARLY ORDOVICIAN sandstones and dolostones 40°30' moderately to intensely metamorphosed east of the Hudson River Dominantly CAMBRIAN and ORDOVICIAN (undifferentiated) quartzites, dolostones, marbles, and schists 73°30' 73° metamorphosed 74° intensely metamorphosed; includes portions of the Taconic Sequence and Cortlandt Complex rocks Miles TACONIC SEQUENCE sandstones, shales, and slates Miles N slightly to intensely metamorphosed rocks of CAMBRIAN through MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN ages } 020401005 30 5040302010 0 MIDDLE PROTEROZOIC gneisses, quartzites, and marbles WE Lines are generalized structure trends. 08604020 0 Intensely metamorphosed rocks 0204060 80 MIDDLE PROTEROZOIC anorthositic rocks } (regional metamorphism about 1,000 m.y.a.) Kilometers 3 Kilometers S Surface Ocean Currents Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2011 Edition 4 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables —2011Edition Tables Setting/Earth Physical Science Reference Tectonic Plates Iceland Hot Spot North American Eurasian Eurasian Plate Plate ch Plate Al ren e eutian T Yellowstone g Juan de Hot Spot id R Fuca Plate c ti n a tl Arabian Canary -A Plate id Islands San Andreas M Hot Spot Fault a h Philippine n African c a i n Hawaii M Plate r Plate id a e Hot Spot Caribbean ft - r Cocos Plate i In M T R d Plate i a n n a c Pacific R i Galapagos South r Fiji Plate h f i d Hot Spot a c A Plate e g g t P American g n e e s n r d e u i a r - o C E Plate R T T Easter Island h St. Helena c i i l Hot Spot e Hot Spot Nazca nt Indian-Australian T a r l e t e g Plate n Plate A d c - i h S d ou Tasman R i th ic M e Hot Spot if as c t a Scotia Ridge In P di t Plate Southwest Indian an R s idge Ea Bouvet Hot Spot Antarctic Antarctic Plate Plate Sandwich Plate overriding Key plate subducting Complex or uncertain Mantle Relative motion at Transform plate boundary plate (transform fault) plate boundary hot spot plate boundary Divergent plate boundary (usually broken by transform Convergent plate boundary faults along mid-ocean ridges) (subduction zone) NOTE: Not all mantle hot spots, plates, and 5 boundaries are shown. Rock Cycle in Earth’s Crust Relationship of Transported Particle Size to Water Velocity r Dep d/o osi an an tion 100.0 ion n d Bu ct atio ria Boulders pa nt l m e o em 25.6 C C 10.0 Cobbles SEDIMENTS 6.4 E (cm) SEDIMENTARY n r o o i 1.0 Pebbles ROCK s s o H W ( i e Upl o r e a ift n th ) E a e M rin 0.2 t g & & e E a ro M s l ion g 0.1 n t i ) n e n d i t f r t r Pres / g d/o sur i a n e o a l at e Sand m e r p H rphi h tamo sm t P e U o M a ( r r e 0.01 p e h s 0.006 W i s n s ) o u ft i m li s r p ro e (U IGNEOUS & E Silt g DIAMETER PARTICLE erin ROCK 0.001 ath We g eltin 0.0004 METAMORPHIC M n o Clay ROCK ti a 0.0001 1000 100 c 1 i 10 500 0.01 0.05 0.1 0.5 50 f 5 di M oli el S ting MAGMA STREAM VELOCITY (cm/s) This generalized graph shows the water velocity needed to maintain, but not start, movement. Variations occur due to differences in particle density and shape. Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL TEXTURE SIZE Non- Obsidian Basaltic glass (usually appears black) Glassy vesicular non- Pumice Scoria crystalline Vesicular (gas Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets) andesite (Volcanic) Fine EXTRUSIVE Basalt Rhyolite Andesite 1 mm less than Diabase Diorite Peri- Non- to Coarse IGNEOUS ROCKS Granite Gabbro dotite vesicular 1 mm Dunite 10 mm Very ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION ENVIRONMENT (Plutonic) Pegmatite or INTRUSIVE coarse larger 10 mm LIGHTER COLOR DARKER LOWER DENSITY HIGHER FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC (rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg) 100% 100% Potassium CHARACTERISTICS feldspar (pink to white) 75% 75% Quartz (clear to white) Plagioclase feldspar (white to gray) 50% 50% Pyroxene (green) Biotite (black) (relative by volume) 25% Olivine 25% (green) MINERAL COMPOSITION MINERAL Amphibole (black) 0% 0% Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2011 Edition 6 Scheme for Sedimentary Rock Identification INORGANIC LAND-DERIVED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS TEXTURE GRAIN SIZECOMPOSITION COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL Pebbles, cobbles, Rounded fragments Conglomerate and/or boulders embedded in sand, Mostly silt, and/or clay quartz, Angular fragments Breccia feldspar, and Clastic Sand clay minerals; (0.006 to 0.2 cm) Fine to coarse Sandstone (fragmental) may contain . Silt fragments of . Very fine grain Siltstone . (0.0004 to 0.006 cm) other rocks . and minerals Compact; may split Clay Shale (less than 0.0004 cm) easily CHEMICALLY AND/OR ORGANICALLY FORMED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS TEXTURE GRAIN SIZECOMPOSITION COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL Halite Rock salt Fine Crystals from to chemical Crystalline Gypsum coarse precipitates Rock gypsum crystals and evaporites Dolomite Dolostone Crystalline or Precipitates of biologic Calcite origin or cemented shell Limestone bioclastic Microscopic to fragments very coarse Bioclastic Compacted Carbon plant remains Bituminous coal Scheme for Metamorphic Rock Identification GRAIN TYPE OF TEXTURE SIZE COMPOSITION METAMORPHISM COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL Fine Low-grade Slate metamorphism of shale Regional (Heat and Foliation surfaces shiny from microscopic mica Fine pressure Phyllite increases) crystals FOLIATED to MINERAL ALIGNMENT medium Platy mica crystals visible MICA from metamorphism of clay Schist or feldspars QUARTZ GARNET FELDSPAR Medium AMPHIBOLE High-grade metamorphism; to mineral types segregated Gneiss ING BAND- coarse into bands PYROXENE Carbon Metamorphism of Fine Regional bituminous coal Anthracite coal Various rocks changed by Various Contact Fine minerals heat from nearby Hornfels (heat) magma/lava Metamorphism of Quartz quartz sandstone Quartzite
Recommended publications
  • Amplify Science Earth's Changing Climate
    Lawrence Hall of Science has new instructional materials that address the Next Generation Science Standards! Check out these Middle School Units… As just one example, compare Middle School units from three different Hall programs. See for yourself how each program goes about addressing the Middle School NGSS Standards related to Human Impacts and Climate Change, and choose the approach that best meets the needs of your school district. MS NGSS Performance Expectations: Human Impacts and Climate Change • MS-ESS3-2. Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. • MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the Environment. • MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems. • MS-ESS3-5. Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century. Sample Units from Three Different Hall Programs • Amplify Science—Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship • FOSS—Weather and Water • Ocean Sciences Sequence—The Ocean-Atmosphere Connection and Climate Change ©The Regents of the University of California ©The Regents of the University of California Description of two Middle School units from Amplify Science Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice and Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship Grade 6-8 Units — requiring at least 19 and 10 45-minute class sessions respectively (two of 27 Middle School Amplify Science units) The Problem: Why is the ice on Earth’s surface melting? Students’ Role: In the role of student climatologists, students investigate what is causing ice on Earth’s surface to melt in order to help the fictional World Climate Institute educate the public about the processes involved.
    [Show full text]
  • Planets of the Solar System
    Chapter Planets of the 27 Solar System Chapter OutlineOutline 1 ● Formation of the Solar System The Nebular Hypothesis Formation of the Planets Formation of Solid Earth Formation of Earth’s Atmosphere Formation of Earth’s Oceans 2 ● Models of the Solar System Early Models Kepler’s Laws Newton’s Explanation of Kepler’s Laws 3 ● The Inner Planets Mercury Venus Earth Mars 4 ● The Outer Planets Gas Giants Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Objects Beyond Neptune Why It Matters Exoplanets UnderstandingU d t di theth formationf ti and the characteristics of our solar system and its planets can help scientists plan missions to study planets and solar systems around other stars in the universe. 746 Chapter 27 hhq10sena_psscho.inddq10sena_psscho.indd 774646 PDF 88/15/08/15/08 88:43:46:43:46 AAMM Inquiry Lab Planetary Distances 20 min Turn to Appendix E and find the table entitled Question to Get You Started “Solar System Data.” Use the data from the How would the distance of a planet from the sun “semimajor axis” row of planetary distances to affect the time it takes for the planet to complete devise an appropriate scale to model the distances one orbit? between planets. Then find an indoor or outdoor space that will accommodate the farthest distance. Mark some index cards with the name of each planet, use a measuring tape to measure the distances according to your scale, and place each index card at its correct location. 747 hhq10sena_psscho.inddq10sena_psscho.indd 774747 22/26/09/26/09 111:42:301:42:30 AAMM These reading tools will help you learn the material in this chapter.
    [Show full text]
  • Earth Science SCIH 041 055 Credits: 0.5 Units / 5 Hours / NCAA
    UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL Earth Science SCIH 041 055 Credits: 0.5 units / 5 hours / NCAA Course Description Have you ever wondered where marble comes from? or how deep the ocean is? or why it rains more in areas near the Equator than in other places? In this course students will study a variety of topics designed to give them a better understanding of the planet on which we live. They will study the composition of Earth including minerals and different rock types, weathering and erosion processes, mass movements, and surface and groundwater. They will also explore Earth's atmosphere and oceans, including storms, climate and ocean movements, plate tectonics, volcanism, earthquakes, mountain building, and geologic time. This course concludes with an in-depth look at the connections between our Earth's vast resources and the human population's dependence and impact on them. Graded Assessments: 5 Unit Evaluations; 2 Projects; 2 Proctored Progress Tests, 5 Teacher Connect Activities Course Objectives When you have completed the materials in this course, you should be able to: 1. Describe how Earth materials move through geochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) resulting in chemical and physical changes in matter. 2. Understand the relationships among Earth’s structure, systems, and processes. 3. Describe how heat convection in the mantle propels the plates comprising Earth’s surface across the face of the globe (plate tectonics). 4. Evaluate the impact of human activity and natural causes on Earth’s resources (groundwater, rivers, land, fossil fuels). 5. Describe the relationships among the sources of energy and their effects on Earth’s systems.
    [Show full text]
  • New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences
    New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences A national strategy to sustain basic research and training across all areas of the Earth sciences would help inform the response to many of the major challenges that will face the planet in coming years. Issues including fossil fuel and water resources, earthquake and tsunami hazards, and profound environmental changes due to shifts in the climate system could all be informed by new research in the Earth sciences. The National Science Foundation’s Division of Earth Sciences, as the only federal agency that maintains significant funding of both exploratory and problem-driven research in the Earth sciences, is central to these efforts, and coordinated research priorities are needed to fully capitalize on the contributions that the Earth sciences can make. ith Earth’s planet. However, it’s population important to note that this Wexpected to collaborative work builds reach 7 billion by the end on basic research in of 2011, and about 9.2 specific disciplines. Core billion by 2050, demand Earth science research for resources such as food, carried out by individual fuel, and water is investigators, or small increasing rapidly. At the groups of scientists, same time, humans are remains the most creative changing the landscape and effective way to and the temperature of the enhance the knowledge atmosphere is increasing. base upon which integra- Expanding basic research tive efforts can build. in the Earth sciences—the study of Earth’s solid Key Research surface, crust, mantle and Opportunities core, and the interactions Figure 1. Combining LiDAR data with geological Conceptual advances in observations helps determine how erosional processes between Earth and the basic Earth science theory respond to rock uplift at Dragon’s Back pressure ridge and technological improve- atmosphere, hydrosphere, along the San Andreas Fault.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 11: Atmosphere
    The Atmosphere and the Oceans ff the Na Pali coast in Hawaii, clouds stretch toward O the horizon. In this unit, you’ll learn how the atmo- sphere and the oceans interact to produce clouds and crashing waves. You’ll come away from your studies with a deeper understanding of the common characteristics shared by Earth’s oceans and its atmosphere. Unit Contents 11 Atmosphere14 Climate 12 Meteorology15 Physical Oceanography 13 The Nature 16 The Marine Environment of Storms Go to the National Geographic Expedition on page 880 to learn more about topics that are con- nected to this unit. 268 Kauai, Hawaii 269 1111 AAtmospheretmosphere What You’ll Learn • The composition, struc- ture, and properties that make up Earth’s atmos- phere. • How solar energy, which fuels weather and climate, is distrib- uted throughout the atmosphere. • How water continually moves between Earth’s surface and the atmo- sphere in the water cycle. Why It’s Important Understanding Earth’s atmosphere and its interactions with solar energy is the key to understanding weather and climate, which con- trol so many different aspects of our lives. To find out more about the atmosphere, visit the Earth Science Web Site at earthgeu.com 270 DDiscoveryiscovery LLabab Dew Formation Dew forms when moist air near 4. Repeat the experiment outside. the ground cools and the water vapor Record the temperature of the in the air changes into water droplets. water and the air outside. In this activity, you will model the Observe In your science journal, formation of dew. describe what happened to the out- 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Vplanet: the Virtual Planet Simulator
    VPLanet: The Virtual Planet Simulator Rory Barnes1,2, Rodrigo Luger2,3, Russell Deitrick2,4, Peter Driscoll2,5, David Fleming1,2, Hayden Smotherman1,2, Thomas R. Quinn1,2, Diego McDonald1,2, Caitlyn Wilhelm1,2, Benjamin Guyer1,2, Victoria S. Meadows1,2, Patrick Barth6, Rodolfo Garcia1,2, Shawn D. Domagal-Goldman2,7, John Armstrong2,8, Pramod Gupta1,2, and The NASA Virtual Planetary Laboratory 1Astronomy Dept., U. of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 2NASA Virtual Planetary Laboratory 3Center for Computational Astrophysics, 6th Floor, 162 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010 4Astronomisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland 5Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institute for Science, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015 6Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany 7NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 699, Greenbelt, MD, 20771 8Department of Physics, Weber State University, 1415 Edvaldson Drive, Dept. 2508, Ogden, UT 84408-2508 Overview. VPLanet is software to simulate the • BINARY: Orbital evolution of a circumbinary planet evolution of an arbitrary planetary system for billions of from Leung & Lee (2013). years. Since planetary systems evolve due to a myriad • GalHabit: Evolution of wide binaries due to the of processes, VPLanet unites theories developed in galactic tide and passing stars (Heisler & Tremaine Earth science, stellar astrophysics, planetary science, 1986; Rickman et al. 2008; Kaib et al. 2013). and galactic astronomy. VPLanet can simulate a generic • SpiNBody: N-body integrator. planetary system, but is optimized for those with • DistOrb: 2nd and 4th order secular models of orbital potentially habitable worlds. VPLanet is open source evolution (Murray & Dermott 1999).
    [Show full text]
  • Earth Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools – January 2010
    Earth Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools – January 2010 Introduction The Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools identify academic content for essential components of the science curriculum at different grade levels. Standards are identified for kindergarten through grade five, for middle school, and for a core set of high school courses — Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Throughout a student’s science schooling from kindergarten through grade six, content strands, or topics are included. The Standards of Learning in each strand progress in complexity as they are studied at various grade levels in grades K-6, and are represented indirectly throughout the high school courses. These strands are Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic; Force, Motion, and Energy; Matter; Life Processes; Living Systems; Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems; Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change; and Earth Resources. Five key components of the science standards that are critical to implementation and necessary for student success in achieving science literacy are 1) Goals; 2) K-12 Safety; 3) Instructional Technology; 4) Investigate and Understand; and 5) Application. It is imperative to science instruction that the local curriculum consider and address how these components are incorporated in the design of the kindergarten through high school science program. Goals The purposes of scientific investigation and discovery are to satisfy humankind’s quest for knowledge and understanding and to preserve and enhance the quality of the human experience. Therefore, as a result of science instruction, students will be able to achieve the following objectives: 1. Develop and use an experimental design in scientific inquiry.
    [Show full text]
  • Origin and Evolution of Earth Research Questions for a Changing Planet
    Origin and Evolution of Earth Research Questions for a Changing Planet Questions about the origins and nature of Earth have long preoccupied human thought and the scientific endeavor. Deciphering the planet’s history and processes could improve the abil- ity to predict catastrophes like earthquakes and volcanoes, to manage Earth’s resources, and to anticipate changes in climate and geologic processes. This report captures, in a series of questions, the essential scientific challenges that constitute the frontier of Earth science at the start of the 21st century. arth is an active place. Earthquakes rip along plate boundaries, volcanoes spew fountains of Emolten lava, and mountain ranges and seabed are constantly created and destroyed. Earth scientists have long been concerned with deciphering the history—and predicting the future—of this active planet. Over the past four decades, Earth scientists have made great strides in understanding Earth’s workings. Scientists have ever-improving tools to understand how Earth’s internal processes shape the planet’s surface, how life can be sustained over billions of years, and how geological, biological, atmospheric, and oceanic NASA/NDGC processes interact to produce climate—and climatic change. At the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, Na- tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Geological Survey, the National Research Council assembled a committee to propose and explore grand ques- tions in Earth science. This report, which is the result of the committee’s deliberations and input solicited from the Earth science community, describes ten “big picture” Earth science issues being pursued today.
    [Show full text]
  • Plate Tectonics
    Plate tectonics tive motion determines the type of boundary; convergent, divergent, or transform. Earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain-building, and oceanic trench formation occur along these plate boundaries. The lateral relative move- ment of the plates typically varies from zero to 100 mm annually.[2] Tectonic plates are composed of oceanic lithosphere and thicker continental lithosphere, each topped by its own kind of crust. Along convergent boundaries, subduction carries plates into the mantle; the material lost is roughly balanced by the formation of new (oceanic) crust along divergent margins by seafloor spreading. In this way, the total surface of the globe remains the same. This predic- The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. tion of plate tectonics is also referred to as the conveyor belt principle. Earlier theories (that still have some sup- porters) propose gradual shrinking (contraction) or grad- ual expansion of the globe.[3] Tectonic plates are able to move because the Earth’s lithosphere has greater strength than the underlying asthenosphere. Lateral density variations in the mantle result in convection. Plate movement is thought to be driven by a combination of the motion of the seafloor away from the spreading ridge (due to variations in topog- raphy and density of the crust, which result in differences in gravitational forces) and drag, with downward suction, at the subduction zones. Another explanation lies in the different forces generated by the rotation of the globe and the tidal forces of the Sun and Moon. The relative im- portance of each of these factors and their relationship to each other is unclear, and still the subject of much debate.
    [Show full text]
  • Earth & Environmental Sciences
    Earth & Environmental Sciences (formerly Geological Sciences) FROM STUDY TO SKILLS The Earth and Environmental Sciences study the and mineral deposits depends on a workforce that formation and evolution of the Earth, and how the heat understands the geological processes that form them. The deep inside the Earth continually reshapes our landscape. extraction and utilization of these resources often can It studies how the Earth’s climate and environment place the environment at risk, which jeopardizes human have changed in the past and will continue to change. health and prosperity. At the same time, population As an earth scientist, you will use the physical and growth and climate change affect the availability of biological sciences to study the dynamics of the Earth fresh water, while natural disasters such as earthquakes, and understand how we can use its resources and how we tsunamis, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts and floods have affect its environment. increasing impact. This study is growing increasingly urgent. The rising The study of the Earth and its environment is highly human population makes it more difficult to improve interdisciplinary and draws heavily from related standards of living for all people. The demand for fields such as physics, chemistry, atmospheric science, resources — energy, metals, fresh water, and fertile oceanography, engineering, ecology, microbiology, soil — is growing sharply. Exploration for new energy botany, mathematics, statistics, and archeology. SKILLS AND ABILITIES Analytical / Research Skills
    [Show full text]
  • Grand Challenges in Earth and Environmental Sciences: Science,Stewardship,And Service for the Twenty-First Century
    2000 Presidential Address: Grand Challenges in Earth and Environmental Sciences: Science,Stewardship,and Service for the Twenty-First Century Mary Lou Zoback, U.S. Geological Survey, MS 977, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA INTRODUCTION GRAND CHALLENGES IN EARTH AND A measure of our future success as earth scientists will depend on our ability to help our global society find and implement effective solutions to environmental problems. In its most ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE inclusive sense, environmental science could be considered So what are the big environmental problems, the grand to be “the” earth science. As used here, environmental challenges of the coming decades? Here are six, characterized science is defined to be a broadly integrative study of on a process level rather than a discipline or theme basis: processes occurring at or near the surface of Earth and involving interactions between the uppermost lithosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere (which L Recognizing the signal within the natural variability includes mankind). It encompasses a broad range of L traditional disciplines including biology, ecology, Defining mass flux and energy balance in natural systems meteorology, atmospheric sciences, hydrology, oceanography, L Identifying feedback between natural and perturbed systems geology, and geophysics. Broad agreement exists within the scientific community that L Determining proxies for biodiversity and ecosystem health we must employ an integrated systems approach to solving L Quantifying consequences, impacts, and effects complex environmental problems. Our long-term goal for environmental science should be to understand natural and L Effectively communicating uncertainty and relative risk perturbed systems well enough to predict outcomes, consequences, and impacts.
    [Show full text]
  • Earth Science Applications
    Theme: Earth Science Applications This image illustrates a fusion of Earth science observations and model products to support air quality forecasting. The image above shows the relationship between aerosols, clouds, winds, fire locations, and ground aerosol measurements to provide a wide area view of aerosol events across North America. Researchers at NASA and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed this data fusion tool to assist air quality forecasters assess particle pollution and aerosol transport. EPA manages the Air Quality Index (AQI) to report daily air quality levels, and this data fusion assists in improving the accuracy of EPA’s AQI. Forecasters use a 3-day visualization of this data fusion to assess transport of aerosols into their region and develop the air quality forecasts they issue. Earth Science Applications MAJOR EVENTS IN FY 2005 ESA will deliver benchmarks of integrated solutions to the Committee on Environment and Natural Hazards (CENR), Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), Climate Change Technology Program, and Interagency Working Group on Earth Observations (IWGEO). The Earth Science Applications (ESA) program will continue to extend the use of new technology and knowledge about the Earth system to serve society through partnerships with other Federal agencies and industry partners. ESA can contribute to saving lives and property by working with partners to extend the benefits of the results of NASA's Earth Science research and development activities into areas such as Air Quality, Public Health, and Disaster Management. ESA will contribute verification and validation results to support the objectives of Geospatial One Stop (GOS) and Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy (CRSSP).
    [Show full text]