15
Within a gravitationally controlled globule of protoplanetary matter, the
growth of larger bodies was impossible. The condensation process of
planetary matter followed by its collapse into solid bodies is, exactly best
thought, as a “snow fall” directed toward the mass center of the proto-
planet, rather than the popular concept of our day, an energetic
bombardment of embryonic
planets by asteroid-sized, solid bodies.
Thus, it is possible to consider, that the accretion of the planet Earth
has taken place earlier than the condensation of protoplanet matter began,
i.e. the accretion (growth from center to peripherals) preceded
condensation. The comparison of compositions
of the Sun and Earth allows
affirming that in the matter, from which our planet was derivate, the
relative distribution of elements has not transformed that was conditioned
by the magnetic separation. If to assume that the condensation preceded the
accretion, in this case it is not obviously possible to save without losses the
matter issued from magnetic separator on all the stage of its accretion in the
body of planet, so far as the no condensed phase had a lot of possibilities to
be dispelled, for example, the inert gases. Detected by V.N.Larin (1980)
cosmochemical tendencies open the new outlooks in the field of the planet
chemistry. These tendencies also allow essentially confining optional
versions of physical-mechanical compositions, which are aroused at the
formation of the Solar system and the planet Earth.
In order to understand the evolution of the primordial
hydridic Earth and
to determine the cause of planet’s present unique characteristics, it is
necessary to review some aspects of hydrogen-metal interactivities in
various environments. Almost all metals can react with hydrogen. Metal
interactivity proceeds first with adsorption of hydrogen on the metal
surface, then as occlusions within the metal, and thence to chemical
reaction and creation of hydrides.
Adsorption and occlusion are purely physical processes. With
adsorption, a dissociation of hydrogen molecules into separate atomic
nuclei occurs. With occlusion, the atomic nuclei give up their electrons,
and the nuclei assume existences within the metal lattice in the manner of a
proton gas. A single metal volume is able to occlude hundreds – even
thousands of hydrogen volumes. That the metal lattice is preserved, albeit
with slightly altered characteristics, is evidence that no chemical reaction
has occurred.
The third form of interactivity, chemical reaction between metals and
hydrogen produces the whole range of chemical compounds known as the
hydrides. These compounds have new lattice forms in which hydrogen is
chemically bonded to metals and is represented as hydride ion, “H
-
“, a
proton and two electrons. The existence of hydrogen in ionic form, a
hydride ion, as well as in the free proton stage through occlusion, are
proved today through extensive research (Galactionova, 1967; Mackay,
1968). A proposition made by Gibbs (1962), holds that the hydrogen
proton in a metal lattice is an active form of the hydride ion.
It is important to emphasize, that the high pressure considerably
increases temperature stability of the hydrides. In fact, it may be said, that
16
for dissociation to proceed under conditions of increased pressure, there is
a requirement for higher temperature (Mackay, 1968).
Therefore, hydrogen-saturated native metals under high and super-high
pressures exist only in the hydridic state. As increasing temperature causes
the dissociation of hydrides, the hydrogen ions pass into the proton gas
state while still dispersed in their metal hosts. Finally, increasing
temperature expels them from the metals.
Purification of metal by purging, the flushing of hydrogen through it,
has been used in steel industry for many years.
Hydrogen flushing is known
as an effective method for removal of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon from
iron, chrome and others metals (Hopkins et al, 1951; Galactionova, 1967).
Keeping this in mind, it is possible to outline the evolutionary course to
be expected for the internal structure of a primordially hydridic Earth. The
basis for the following evolutionary sequences determined by the
traditional idea of initial radioactive heating. Gravitational differentiating
and the phase transferring of matter in under crust depths at the early stages
of development of the planet, apparently, produced, noticeable contribution
to its energetic, but they had a damping nature. However, periodically
replicated plutonic tectono-magmatic processes of activation should be
linked, in main, with evolution of the Solar system and our Galaxy. One of
the possible ways of transmission the galactic energy in the body of the
Earth is passing the Solar system through galactic radiation belts
(Kulinkovich, 1992). At intersection the galactic radioactivity, or magnetic
belts the variable component of ionospheres currents sharply increases,
which induces in the Earth’s core Fuko currents (Poletavkin, 1981).
Apparently, it is accompanied by considerable emission of thermal energy
involving partial melting of the Earth’s core, variance of volume of the
planet,
and as the result, activation of the tectono-magmatic processes.
While warming up, the hydridic Earth should have differentiated into
some geospherical layers, due to the fact that its interior hydrides became
unstable. Hydrides situated at the planetary center, where pressure is
maximal, would have been preserved from dissociation for relatively long
time. Rather, the hydrides must have been encased in geospheres of metals
saturated with occluded hydrogen. The saturated metals, in their turn, must
have been encased within higher geospheres from which the hydrogen had
been expelled. Such was the evolutionary process that originated the
hydrogen-bearing interiors of our planet with central hydridic core and
metallic mantle. It is easy to recognize that the thickness of the mantle
during geological history has expanded while the core has shrunk. The
metallic mantle, flushed with hydrogen from the interior, would have been
scrubbed and freed of oxygen admixtures in the manner of laboratory
techniques. Escaping oxygen, in its turn, must have become infused into
the minerals of the outer geospheres before it could escape into the
atmosphere. That explains the outwardly increasing silicate and oxide-rich
composition of the outer solid geospheres.
Evidently, the origin of extreme heat flows cannot be resolved without
the invention of efficient heat-transfer agents. The best candidate for this