4 ESO INTERNAL GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Geothermal gradient

• It is the energy stored under the Earth´s surface

• It is the temperature stored under the Earth´s surface

• It is the increase in temperature with depth

• It is the decrease in temperature with depth

Geothermal energy

• It is the energy stored under the Earth´s surface

• It is the temperature stored under the Earth´s surface

• It is the increase in temperature with depth

• It is the decrease in temperature with depth

Direct method to study the geosphere

• The speed of the seismic waves depend on the properties of the materials they pass through

• physical properties of the materials

• Samples from drills and volcanic eruptions

• Data from the seismic waves

Indirect method to study the geosphere

• Samples from drills

• Study of materials from volcanic eruptions

• Data from seismic waves

• They reveal very little information from the deepest layers of the geosphere

Crust

• Earth´s thinner and outer rocky layer, rich in silicate minerals

• Earth´s thinner and outer rocky layer, rich in Iron and Nickel minerals

• Deepest and thickest layer

• Rich in Iron and Magnesium, less Al and Si.

Oceanic crust

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 30-70 km thick,made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 6km thick, made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 6 km thick,made of basalt and gabbro

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 6 km thick,made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 30-70 km thick,made of basalt and gabbro

continental crust

• Makes up continents, 30-70 km thick,made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Makes up continents, 6km thick, made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 6 km thick,made of basalt and gabbro

• Beneath the seas and oceans, 6 km thick,made of granite, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

• Makes up continents, 30-70 km thick,made of basalt and gabbro

Crust and uppermost mantle layer

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• inner core

• outer core

• mesosphere

Solid,Rigid and brittle

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• inner core

• outer core

• mesosphere

600km thick, solid and plastic state,it deforms very slowly

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• inner core

• outer core

• mesosphere