17
role is hydrogen due to its heat capacity and migrations capabilities. The
phenomenon is the high specific heat characteristic of hydrogen. For
molecular H
2
at 25
o
C this is 14,4 J/g
o
K; for atomic H it is 21 J/g
o
K, both
orders of magnitude greater than other elemental specific heats. There are
numerous data today that prove the predominance of hydrogen in fluids of
the upper mantle (Marakushev & Perchuk 1972,1973; Lutz 1975; Letnikov
1976, 1977).
These fluids are oxidized into water in the crust, although not always
ever there, at least not completely (Betelev 1965; Vasil’ev et al. 1968).
Even given the lowest estimates of hydrogen diffusion rates in metals, the
time needed for it to travel from the core to the outer geospheres, through
the metallic mantle, should not exceed 10
4
years. Had the entire mantle
been composed of silicates and oxide minerals, the hydrogen would have
been locked inside the planet, because its diffusion rate in silicates is
several orders of magnitude below that in metals.
Based on the forgoing reasons, V.N.Larin (1980) suggests a new
geochemical model of the Earth, which is consistent with the latest
geophysical data, but completely different from the current geochemical
models. The main differences between this model and traditional models, is
in the limitation of the silicate- and oxide-rich geosphere to depth ranges of
no more than 350-400 km under the continents and even less under the
oceans. In Larin’s opinion, the major portion of the Earth’s volume is non-
oxides and mainly silicon and magnesium metal, but also incorporates iron
and coactive calcium, aluminum, sodium, and other elements in lesser
quantities. All these elements in the outer core contain dissolved hydrogen,
whereas in the inner core they are present as metal hydrides (Table 3).
V.N.Larin in his experiments has found out the new phenomenon: at high
pressure the metals with dissolved hydrogen become liquids.
This phenomenon
is observed at room temperature. Thus, the outer core of the Earth must be
liquid (metals with dissolved hydrogen), while at the same time “cold”. It
shows that the conception of the periodically cold core does not present as a
paradox (Larin, 1993)
The main geologic-tectonic consequence of the concept of primordial
hydridic Earth is considerable, probably, multiple increase of its volume during
the geological history, that was determined by almost continuous
decompression
bowels of the planet at the degassing of hydrogen and transferring hydrides in
metals.
The idea of the expanding Earth for the first time was expressed in 1859 by
English military surveyor A.U.Drayson in the book « The Earth, the one on
which we live: its past, present and future », where on the basis of set of
surveying measuring, he had come to the conclusion, that the Earth is
expanding with major speed. Then, independent from each other,
I.O.Yarkovskiy (1899), Mantovany (1909), Khickson(1920), M.Bogolepov
(1922), B.Lindemann (1927), О. Gilgenberg (1933), P. Dirac (1937),
E.E.Milanovsky (1978), W.Carey (1988) and some other authors have
published their observations about the expanding Earth.
18
Table 3
The new geochemical model for the Earth (Larin, 1980)
Geosphera Zone Depth ( km )
State
Composition
Crust
А
0 - 33
solid
оxides M
n
O
m
silicates M
n
Si
v
O
m
Mantle
В
33 - 400
solid
оxides M
n
O
m
silicates M
n
Si
v
O
m
С
400 – 1,000
solid
silicides
of metals M
n
Si
m
D
1,000 – 2,900
solid
silicides of metals M
n
Si
m
Core
Е
2,900 – 5,000
liquid
мetals
with dissolved
hydrogen M + nH
F
5,000 – 5,100
solid
hydrides M H
2
G
5,100 – 6,371
solid
hydrides M H
2
In the second half of our century the new data appeared on the structure of
the bottom of the oceans, its sediments and rocks, the nature of the magnetic
fields, legitimacy position of mid-oceanic ridges and global rift system, brought
about a revolution in global geological ideas. By the beginning of the 1980’s,
theoretical research was essentially extended in the field of geodynamics within
which further evolution of the ideas and conceptions of fixism (V.V.Belousov,
M.V.Muratov), мobilism (A.V.Peyve, E.V.Artyushkov, L.P.Zonenshain), as
well as contracting and expanding the Earth (S.W. Carey, V.B.Neyman,
V.N.Larin, E.E.Milanovsky and others) were accepted.
Geological-tectonic and the geophysical features of the structure of the
oceanic bottom allows us to consider them as the structures of gigantic
extension. These could possibly be connected with general expansion of the
planet Earth. The continents and their structures stand at the same places and are
rigidly connected by their plutonic roots in the mantle, but, in accordance with
the expansion of the planet, they diverge and between them oceanic depressions
appear and grow.
In the opinion of V.E.Khain (1970) a hypothesis of the expanding Earth
could resolve the tighten discussion between fixism and mobilism, since it
allows to fasten the persistence of the structural plan (the main credo of fixists)
with pulling apart the continental plates and neoplasms of oceans (in which the
mobilists are right).