|
|
|
| Sunday, 23 October 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Kaleidoscope Fractures of the natural harmony by Rohan Jayawardana If there is deemed to be a Nature-given harmony in the factors of existence it is not a bad idea to wonder about the incidence of earthquakes (which are of the subterranean layers, below the surface soil). These quakes are caused by the activity of "plate tectonics'. In fact, the basics are that the continents and oceans are carried upon granite and basalt based plates forming the Earth's crust. This is the solid rock under-pinning; and it is stated in geology that there are six major plates named African, American, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indian and Pacific. The continents are on the solid granite plates while oceans on the other hand, are said to be carried by plates of basalt. Both types, namely granite and basalt, are varieties of rock. The study of rocks and their formations through the ages of planet Earth inclusive of the igneous substances within each variety are part of the fascinating subject called geology. If indeed plate tectonics do cause the earthquakes that make the top layer of land quiver and shake and fall apart, then where is the harmony in Nature's codeing? It is reasonable to hazard a theory that IF the dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures got wiped out by a meteorite crashing into Earth (with horrific long-term after effects) several hundred million years ago, then that very same event quite probably fractured the Earth's crust permanently, causing a division into the several plates that carry the land mass and the waters. A location of the meteorite's destructive crash on to Earth might possibly be at the Pacific ocean, which is the deepest of all the mighty seas at 35,000 ft (which is almost seven miles!). As a result it cannot be explored in the manner of the other oceans. Earth's core The rock at the Earth's foundation "crust" is of volcanic origins. It lies atop the so-called "mantle" made up of silicate rocks and at the very core underneath is though to be a mix of lava (molten liquid) and other rock. (We have discussed three layers). When the plates on the top of the mantle move against each other there is FRICTION that causes earthquakes and volcanoes on the surface layer where life abounds. If the plates move apart there is ocean-bed activity that wells up from the mantle (below) causing "ridges" on the floors of the oceans. The devastating earthquake activity which affects the human race occurs principally at the edges of the plates when they brush against each other. The movement is probably due to variances of underlying temperatures etc and is unpredictable. There are some points of higher vulnerability on the surface such as the one named San Andreas "fault" between the American and Pacific plates atop of which are the highly populated cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles in the USA, which have a history of earthquake occurrences. Volcanoes Quite naturally when the land-mass sitting atop granite plates which are thousands of feet below the surface layer experience the awesome vibrations caused by the plates rubbing against each other, the entire surface layer is shaken and its buildings etc fall apart. However, when the plate beneath an ocean is shaken by such subterranean frictions the shock waves enter the mass of water above and travel upwards and sideways. On the surface layer they generate violent movements of huge quantities of water weighing several tons called "tidal waves". A modern Japanese word is "Tsunami". It must be noted that these tidal waves (tsunamis) are caused by the very same phenomenon called earthquakes albeit below the oceans. They are entirely natural phenomena of the existential state and completely free of "motivations". The most celebrated modern instance of a volcano was in 1883 at Krakatoa, an Indonesian island. It erupted thunderously killing as many as 36,000 persons in that long ago time and the cloud of ash it generated had blocked out the sun for several days. A volcano too is an outcome of plate movements in the Earth's crust which at first pushes up a mountain of lava and ash. It is usually cone-shaped. In due course when plate tectonics cause a gap in the Earth's crust there is a violent upward movement of gases, ash and liquid magma (molten rock masses). The blazing inferno can last for several days and weeks. In the year of 79 A.D. near Naples in Italy the volcanic mountain Vesuvius erupted with enormous force and completely buried the city of Pompeii in a shower of lava and ash that towered 20 feet above the remains of it. The city was rediscovered only in 1748 as its existence had been comprehensively erased. A considerable gentleman who died on that tragic occasion was Plying the Elder, the fabulous Roman scholar who was the author of the very first historical chronicle (an encyclopaedia) ever written, named "Natural History". Hurricanes and cyclones The matters of wind and rain occur in the atmosphere and on the "over ground" territory. A great deal of it has been aggravated after industrialisation and the resultant heating up of temperatures ABOVE the Nature-given levels, especially since the 19th century. It must be noted that the planet Earth was ice-bound for hundreds of millions of years and life-forms arose only after a compatibility state was achieved in terms of oxygen in the atmosphere, suitable temperatures etc. That balance has now been destroyed. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
