Geophysical Abstracts 152 January-March 1953

HEAT 49
as the core increases in size. If this single cell convection along an axis
through the sphere and back along the surface is responsible for the major land
areas of the earth, then the earth must have been formed in a highly viscous
condition. The core of the earth must have grown during an appreciable frac­
tion or the whole of the time since the earth was formed. The general as­
sumption of a very hot, rapidly changing earth during a short time of formation,
followed by relatively small changes since then does not seem plausible. H. F.
14349. Jacobs, J. A. Temperature-pressure hypothesis and the earth's interior:
Canadian Jour. Physics, v. 31, p. 370-376, 1953.
Bullen and Ramsey have shown that the reciprocal of the compressibility is
a linear function of the pressure both in the Earth's core and in the mantle
below 1,000 km. In view of this result, it seems reasonable to suppose that a
similar relationship exists between the reciprocal of the volume coefficient of
thermal expansion and pressure. Support for this hypothesis is obtained by
two independent methods (a) using Uffen's results based on the theory of solids,
(b) using Murnaghan's theory of finite strain. Assuming the validity of the
hypothesis, an estimate is made of the adiabatic gradient throughout the Earth.
Taking the temperature at 1,000 km. to be 3,600° K., values of the tempera­
ture at greater depths are estimated. In particular it is found that the tem­
perature at the boundary of the core is 4,350° K., and at the center of the
Earth a little over 4,800°K. These results have considerable interest and bear­
ing on Bullard's theory of the transfer of heat from the core. Author's Abstract
14350. Uffen, R. J., and Misener, A. D. On the thermal properties of the earth's
interior: Physical Soc. London Proc., sec. B., v. 65, no. 9, p. 742, 1952.
By combining the molecular theory of solids and known seismic data, esti­
mates may be made of the thermal properties of the earth's interior. Com­
puted values of the. adiabatic gradients agree with Verhoogen's work. Assuming
reasonable values for the material in the mantle the melting point at 100 km
is 1,730° K and at the core 5,000° K. The data suggest that convection cur­
rents could be maintained by the heat generated in an inner core with a radio­
active content equal that of iron meteorites. M. G. R.
14351. Jacobs, J. A. A temperature of the interior of the earth: Nature, v. 170,
no. 4333, p. 838,1952.
An equation for the adiabatic temperature gradient in terms of density and
specific heat at constant pressure, valid for depths greater than 1,000 km, may
be determined by assuming a linear relationship between the reciprocal of bulk
compressibility, volume coefficient of thermal expansion, and pressure. On this
basis the temperature at the core boundary is of 350° K and at the center of
the earth 4,800° K or higher. M. C. R.
14352. Lyubiinova, Ye A. Vliyaniye radioactivnoyo raspada na teplovoy rezhim
zemli [The effect of radioactive distintegration on the thermal conditions
of the earth]: Akad. Nauk SSSR Izv., Ser. geofiz. no. 4, p. 3-14,1952.
An analytical study is presented of thermal processes in the interior of the
earth caused by the radioactive disintegration of such substances as uranium,
thorium actinouranium, and potassium, assumed to be homogeneously distributed
throughout the whole mass of the earth,. The composition of the earth is assumed