A planetary perspective on the deep Earth

Article

关键词: ACCRETION;   

DOI  :  10.1038/nature06582

来源: SCIE

【 摘 要 】

Earth is an engine, tending to obliterate some of the evidence of events that are distant in time, but a memory is retained in its chemistry, its isotopes, the presence of the Moon, perhaps also in geophysical observables such as the temperature of the core and the nature of the mantle immediately above the core, and maybe even in the existence of plate tectonics and life. The remarkable growth in the study and understanding of Earth has happened in parallel with a spectacular era of planetary exploration, relevant astronomical discoveries and computational and theoretical advances, all of which help us to place Earth and its interior in a perspective that integrates the Earth sciences with extraterrestrial studies and basic sciences such as condensed- matter physics. However, progress on the biggest challenges in understanding the deep Earth continues to rely mainly on looking down rather than looking up.

【 授权许可】

Free