Oceanic Lithosphere and Plate Tectonics
TEMA – 8. Plate Tectonics
Oceanic Lithosphere
Study Skills.
For seabed analysis, the following methods are used:
- Surveys to identify rocks.
- Sonar to map the undersea terrain.
- Geophysical research cruises collecting seismic and magnetic data.
- Submersibles designed for direct observation and sampling.
Undersea Structures
Continental Shelf. Submerged prolongation of the continent. Maximum depth 200 meters.
Continental Slope. Steep (40%) slope to the edge of the continental shelf.
Abyssal Plain. Area of low slope.
Universe Formation, Structure, and Evolution
Origin of the Universe
Universe: Set of all matter and energy existing in space. The observable part is the observable universe.
Cosmology: Science that studies the universe.
Age
13.7 billion years. Events: Discovery of America; Birth of Jesus Christ; Beginning Egyptian empire; Appearance of Homo sapiens.
Dimensions
The universe is measured using a unit called a light-year, which corresponds to the distance light travels in one year.
Composition
- 73% dark energy (counteracts gravity)
- 23% dark matter (does
Asturian Architecture: Royal Influence & Pre-Romanesque Style
Asturian Architecture
The architecture was driven by the Kings.
Characteristics
- Prevalence of the basilica form.
- Curvilinear and volumetric designs.
- Emphasis on line, masonry, and blocks.
- Tall buildings with arched vaults, transverse arches, or ribs (prelude to Romanesque).
- Arches resting on attached columns, linked by arcs (Romanesque influence).
- External buttresses.
- Horseshoe arches, sometimes decorative or supportive.
- Fluted columns, Corinthian capitals (vertical or helical), tapered and double inverted.
Non-Conventional Energy Sources: A Deep Dive
Non-Conventional Energy Sources
Solar (heliothermal, photovoltaic), wind, geothermal, tidal, other sources (wave, ocean thermal), and biomass (including MSW) are key non-conventional energy sources.
Solar Energy
Solar energy can be utilized in two ways: heat (absorbing energy and transforming it into heat) and photovoltaic conversion (directly converting solar energy into electrical energy).
Heat from Solar Energy
A collector absorbs solar radiation and transfers it to a fluid, significantly increasing
Read MoreEarth’s Dynamic Equilibrium: Natural Hazards and Resource Management
Earth’s Dynamic Equilibrium
Heating and Density
The sun heats the Earth’s surface, warming the surrounding air. The core heats the planet’s interior. This uneven heating creates density differences, causing less dense materials to rise.
Water Cycle
The water cycle, powered by solar energy, distributes heat throughout the world’s oceans. This oceanic current cycle is sometimes called the “oceanic conveyor belt.”
Mantle Movements and Volcanoes
Mantle movements cause the ascent of deep materials, fueling
Read MoreAcid Rain and Table Salt: Chemistry and Environmental Impact
Acid Rain
Formation and Causes
Acid rain results from emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides from factories, power plants, metallurgical industries, and vehicles burning fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
Mechanism
Water from clouds reacts with these oxides to form sulfuric and nitric acid, resulting in acid rain with a pH of 3-5.
Border Phenomenon
Primary atmospheric contaminants can travel long distances, carried by winds for hundreds or thousands of miles before being deposited through mist,
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