Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!cbatt!ihnp4!mmm!cipher From: cipher@mmm.UUCP (Andre Guirard) Newsgroups: sci.misc Subject: Re: alternative to plate tectonics Message-ID: <1140@mmm.UUCP> Date: Thu, 11-Dec-86 10:20:42 EST Article-I.D.: mmm.1140 Posted: Thu Dec 11 10:20:42 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 16-Dec-86 00:56:11 EST References: <531@weitek.UUCP> <1272@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <648@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk> <1002@lcuxlm.UUCP> Reply-To: cipher@mmm.UUCP (Andre Guirard) Organization: Software & Electronics Resource Center/3M Lines: 27 Keywords: plate tectonics, continental drift >In article <648@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk>, ma_jpb@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk (Bennett) writes: > > There is a problem with tectonic plate theory and continental drift due to the > conservation of energy. Consider the theory that the Himalayas are caused by > the Indian plate hitting the Asiatic plate... Although the > Indian plate is large it moves exceedingly slowly... > Calculation would suggest that within an order of magnitude the > Himalayas should be one millimetre high.... This would indeed be a serious problem if the proposed mechanism causing continental drift was that the plates have leftover momentum from some past disaster and are bouncing off each other like billiard balls. It becomes evident with only a little thought that that would be a silly assertion, since the mantle is much thicker than lemon custard, and would slow them to a stop in no time (geologically speaking). In fact, I believe the theory goes that the plates are moved by convection currents in the chewy liquid center of the Earth, these currents being caused by heat generated by the decay of radioactive elements. There's a _lot_ more energy than just the momentum of the crustal plates involved. -- /'C`\ TWALG ASHALC RITMOHF. Andre Guirard ( o_o ) Botoj de timeco )) _ (( AWSWG SWVVG BWSWBSWH! ihnp4!mmm!cipher /// \\\