Where on Earth is the Crust?

MAR 01, 1989

Mineralogical data and comparative planetology suggest a controversial hypothesis—that much of the Earth’s crust may be buried within the mantle.

DOI: 10.1063/1.881215

Don L. Anderson

Astronomers confidently speak of the chemistry of stars, galaxies and even interstellar space, but curiously, we are grossly ignorant of the composition of our own planet. “Whole Earth” scientists work under an extreme handicap compared with investigators in most other disciplines. Physicists, astronomers and biologists can formulate general theories and design experiments on the basis of many examples. By contrast, there is a single Earth, the result of a unique experiment, and we have direct access only to its outer portions. (Another obvious “singular” object of scientific study is the universe itself.)

This article is only available in PDF format

References

1. E. Anders, M. Ebihara, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 46, 2363 (1982).https://doi.org/GCACAK
2. D. L. Anderson, J. Bass, Nature 320, 321 (1986). https://doi.org/NATUAS
D. L. Anderson, Science 243, 367 (1989).https://doi.org/SCIEAS
3. D. L. Anderson, Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 5, 179 (1977).
4. H. H. Breneman, E. C. Stone, Astrophys. J. 299, L57 (1985).https://doi.org/ASJOAB
5. E. Ohtani, A. E. Ringwood, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 71, 85 (1984).https://doi.org/EPSLA2
6. R. Jeanloz, T. Ahrens, Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 62, 505 (1980).https://doi.org/GEOJAN
7. A. Dziewonski, D. L. Anderson, Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors 25, 297 (1981).https://doi.org/PEPIAM
8. D. L. Anderson, Science 157, 1165 (1967).https://doi.org/SCIEAS
9. R. Cohen, Geophys. Res. Lett. 14, 1053 (1987).https://doi.org/GPRLAJ
10. C. B. Agee, D. Walker, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 90, 144 (1988). https://doi.org/EPSLA2
E. Ohtani, Tectonophysics 154, 201 (1988).https://doi.org/TCTOAM

More about the authors

Don L. Anderson, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.