A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF THERMAL ENERGY FOR ENDOGENIC PROCESSES IN THE EARTH

Abstract

Omitting the diversity of gas and H2O occurrence modes in solid minerals and rocks of the Earth, we address in this article only those modes that are related to gas and fluid inclusions. All fluid inclusions in the subsurface are filled with a gas phase above an isotherm of 400°C. The higher the magnification used for examination of thin sections under a microscope, the more inclusions of various (even micrometer-sized) dimensions are revealed in the materials under study. Meteorites are no exception. They contain fluid inclusions of various compositions and dimensions. Hence, fluid inclusions are among the necessary attributes of the structure of rocks and minerals. Based on the geophysical and experimental data, it is assumed that the mantle rocks, not to mention the liquid and solid core, are in a state of ductile flow. This, in particular, causes the development of convective flows. It is evident that at the early state of the Earth's evolution, when the geothermal gradient attained a maximum, the range of the ductile state of the terrestrial materials was much wider.