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1989 | Buch

Matter and Forces Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Perspectives on Biogeochemistry

verfasst von: Professor Dr. Egon T. Degens

Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Enthalten in: Professional Book Archive

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SUCHEN

Über dieses Buch

Perspectives on Biogeochemistry is an account of the origin of forces and matter at the dawn of time, and the way they evolved to planet Earth of today. Several fields of natural sciences are consulted to present a coherent view on the cycling of terrestrial elements and molecules, both organic and inorganic, in the course of time. Critical data are drawn together from astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and geology in order to provide some understanding of the complexity of the system Earth. In this book, E.T. Degens abstracts his knowledge of biogeochemical interactions acquired in more than thirty years of research and teaching. Students and anyone in the natural sciences wanting to familiarize themselves with phenomena prevailing at the periphery of their disciplines will profit by the very thorough and personal view of this pressing topic.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

The Cosmos at Large

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Matter and Forces
Abstract
Much of what we know today of the distant past is secondhand information. Elementary particles and chemical elements are nothing but the ashes of a Big Bang or of star explosions. The background radiation known from four regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, radio waves, microwaves, X-rays and gamma rays, are just remnants of special events that once took place in the history of the universe. Molecules, rocks, and plant and animal remains or imprints are only indicators of past processes, geological situations or environmental circumstances. From this set of data, the origin and evolution of forces, matter, structure and life in the course of time are inferred.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 2. Instant of Creation
Abstract
The state of the universe prior to the creation of matter and forces is as yet unresolved, unless we believe that the universe was everlasting into the past as well as into the future. Taking the Bible as a base for reference, the world at large was created almost instantly by an act of God. In the end there will be a “big crunch” (“Weltuntergang”) but the essence will last from eternity to eternity. In spite of all the achievements of modern science, this is still a very logical and personally satisfying conception. Admittedly, one has to believe in it. Thus in a way, when it comes to the moment of creation, religious and scientific models have many things in common With this in mind let us expand on the problem at hand.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 3. Incidents During Expansion
Abstract
Background radiation permeates the cosmos uniformly. In contrast, matter distribution on local and regional scales is patchy and irregular. Only if the universe is looked at across a larger frame will a more systematic pattern of aggregated matter and empty voids emerge (e.g., Zeldovich et al., 1982; Silk et al., 1983; Oort, 1983). What is the essential mechanism behind the heterogeneous matter dissipation in the first place? The answer is simple: the symmetry breaking incident at the dawn of time releasing gravitation as a separate force. Since then, a concept known already to Newton, gravitational instability, has been the principal driving element controlling the distribution of matter in the universe.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 4. Our Solar System
Abstract
The presence of galaxies, stars and dark matter in all regions of the Universe is well established. The same holds true for the cosmological principle which states that the structure of the Universe is isotropic on a large scale. In contrast, planets and moons are known for sure only from our solar system. However, some tentative data exist, suggesting the existence of nearby planetary systems.
Egon T. Degens

Down to Earth

Frontmatter
Chapter 5. Fire
Abstract
According to Empedocles (483–424 B.C.) the physical universe can be subdivided into four basic elements: air, water, fire and earth. This classification takes care of the gaseous, liquid, and solid matter in a rather profound way, except that the element fire should be regarded rather as the driving force, keeping the others going. But for many centuries to come, this ancient definition was satisfactory to describe the physical state of universal matter.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 6. Coordination Principles
Abstract
The world we live in consists of a great variety of coordination systems. A family, a nation or the human race are such entities. The units may differ in size, but all are composed of the same structural elements, i.e., individuals held together by bonds. The individual members can vary in size, status or sex, and ties between them can be weak or strong. The resulting structure determines the functional properties of the coordination complex. Social groups are programmed for change. Number, character and rank of members can alter and bonds will adjust accordingly. As a consequence, new structures and functions emerge.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 7. The Earth from Within
Abstract
Close to 3,000 minerals are known from rock formations, and their number increases by about 100 newly discovered minerals per year. Yet only 50 or so comprise 99 percent of the Earth’s crust; the rest are — globally speaking — trace constituents. By contrast, a small group, the plagioclases and K-feldspars, less than 10 in number, account for about 50 percent of all mineral matter.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 8. From Land to Sea
Abstract
Borders separate political blocks, nations, states, communities and also your house from that of your next-door neighbor. Some boundaries are easy to cross, others more difficult to pass. But no matter how liberal or restricted neighboring policies are, all boundaries slow down or may even stop communications. At the other hand, the “lines of defense” displayed, for instance, along a national border will throw considerable light on state philosophies behind it without having first-hand knowledge about the two governments in question. Or take a vicious dog gnashing his teeth on the other side of the fence. He certainly does not encourage a friendly neighboring visit, but will reflect something about his master’s state of mind.
Egon T. Degens

Life-Supporting System

Frontmatter
Chapter 9. Air
Abstract
It is probably no overstatement to say that the topic weather has appeal to everybody. The familiar phrase “Hello! Nice weather today” or “What a miserable day” is a good indication of the impact weather has on conversation. Tomorrow’s weather forecasts on TV or radio are favored programs too, even though last weekend’s weather prediction may have turned out to be wrong. In any event, these are simply the snows of yesteryear.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 10. Water
Abstract
“Water is the best of all things.” This saying of Pindar (518–446 B.C.) has not lost its meaning over the ages. A grain seed, properly stored for thousands of years in a pottery jar, has a good chance to germinate once exposed to the humid soil. A bacterium, enclosed in a crystal of salt, is said to have come to life again after a few hundred million years of suspended animation. Some suggest, however, that the “pickled” bacterium is simply a modern contamination, but I see no reason why it could not have survived for all those years.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 11. Life
Abstract
To quote J.D. Bernal (1959): “There is only one dominant chemical pattern of life. If more than one exists the others must be obscure, as are some of the red algae, and unnecessary to the survival of the dominant”, and “We may define life, for the sake of this discussion only, as the embodiment within a certain volume of self-maintaining chemical processes”. Others state (Miller and Horowitz, 1966): “An organism, to be called living, must be capable of both replication and mutation; such an organism will evolve into higher forms”.
Egon T. Degens
Chapter 12. Biogeochemical Evolution
Abstract
On the dry weight basis, bulk organic matter is composed of six major elements: carbon (47%), oxygen (33%), hydrogen (9%), nitrogen (9%), sulfur (1%), and phosphorus (1%). It would be ill advised, however, to investigate only the biogeochemical cycling of just these six major elements and not consider the large suite of metal ions that are of vital importance in sustaining life. Close to about 25 essential elements are structurally and functionally involved in cellular activities, and a deficiency in any one of them would be deleterious to life.
Egon T. Degens
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Perspectives on Biogeochemistry
verfasst von
Professor Dr. Egon T. Degens
Copyright-Jahr
1989
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Electronic ISBN
978-3-642-48879-5
Print ISBN
978-3-540-50191-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48879-5