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  4. Theory of continental drift – causes of the motion. Historical review and observations

Theory of continental drift – causes of the motion. Historical review and observations

JGD.
2023;
Volume 1(34)2023, Number 1(34)
: 57-69
https://doi.org/10.23939/jgd2023.01.057
Received: April 30, 2023
Authors:
  1. Pavel Kalenda
  2. Libor Neumann
  3. Ivo Wandrol
  4. Václav Procházka
  5. Lubor Ostřihanský
1
Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
2
Anect Praha
3
Silesian University Opava
4
Czech Technical University
5
Nad Palatou Praha

The theory of continental drift was published as early as 1912, but the mechanism and energy source of this motion has not yet been elucidated. In many cases, the generally accepted model of convection currents in the mantle contradicts observations such as the spreading of the ocean floor, the extension of rifts from triple points to all  sides, the more or less unilateral movement of the lithosphere relative to the mantle, and others. In the first part of the double article, the evolution of views on this issue is shown, as well as measured data that document the important role of extraterrestrial energy sources for the movement of lithospheric plates in daily, annual and long-term climate cycles. In the second part of the two-part article, the entire theory of the mechanism of lithospheric plate motion will be outlined, based on the accumulation of incoming energy from the Sun in crustal rocks, the ratcheting mechanism, and the thermoelastic wave penetrating from the Earth's surface through the entire crust.

Continental drift
motion of plates
mechanism
solar energy accumulation
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