Open AccessThe Nature of the Mohorovičí Discontinuity
Author(s) -
Bullard E.C.,
Griggs D. T.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1961.tb02966.x
Subject(s) - discontinuity (linguistics) , classification of discontinuities , geology , heat flow , stability (learning theory) , geophysics , thermodynamics , mathematics , physics , mathematical analysis , thermal , machine learning , computer science
Summary It has been suggested that the Mohorovičí discontinuity represents a change in crystal structure and not a change in chemical composition. Three objections to this view are discussed and it is concluded that it is unlikely to be correct. The objections are (1) that the stability relations are such that the continental and oceanic discontinuities cannot both have the heavier material below them; (2) that the small variation of the depth of the discontinuity with heat flow cannot be accounted for and (3) that the transition should not be sharp in a rock which is not composed of a single well defined chemical substance.