Geophysics in Pictures

Desire to understand some abstract truth empties the mind.

The human mind is enriched only in the knowledge of the real world. Max Jacob, 1924

The pictures in this page are taken from the book "THE EARTH", edition 2004 by the "Whie Star S.P.A." , created by Alberto Bertolazzi and collective. This book is intended to reveal and demonstrate natural beauty of our Home. In the same time, it is successful tool for geophysics teaching. The book has abundant material and no theory. The reader is possible to extract his or her understanding from the aw facts.

Interested person should find many books with good pictures. But frequently, the given book is adjusted to a priori idea. When the natural facts are not enough, the emptiness is replenished by "artist concepts". The "artist concepts" are main factor in predominated now theory of "Global tectonic", where horizontal motions of the earth crust are considered to be dominating.

When one is peering at real images, he or she should realize some significant differences from "artistic concepts:

• The structures, born due to vertical movements of the earth crust, are in times more frequent than others.

• The structures, born due to vertical movements of the earth crust, are in times bigger than others. As a result, the structures born due to vertical movement of the earth crust, possess many times bigger volume and mass than the structures, supposed to be consequent of the horizontal movements of the crust plates.

These structures, scattered through and fourth on the earth surface are inviting old theory of "Isostasy". One should accept it in the model of "Airy/Heiskanen" or "Pratt/Haiford". Difference is not so big. But one will never be in controversy with reality. As it is known from seismic, the orogens have roots, and they are in times more deep than their hate. Consequently their mass is much bigger than surrounding plates. In the same time the material is more strong than this in the plates.

It is hard to understand how it is possible small and soft mass to smash great and strong mass?!

You can try to form a piece of iron with hammer of latex. Let's see the result! Heated iron should be formed with cold iron hammer, through violent push. There are questions of impulse and strength.

For the plates is impossible to move fast. Thus, theirs impulses are infinitely small. As the orogens are built from basic rocks, and have more efficient flow of cooling, they are cooler and stronger than plates. Consequently it is impossible orogens to be smashed material due to impact of the plates.

The deduction is simple and natural:

• Vertical movements of the elements of the earth crust are prevalent! Next pictures render objects from one single place - ours home Earth!