Water on Earth : physicochemical and biological properties.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lécuyer, Christophe.

Series:

Oceanography and marine biology series.

Oceanography and Marine Biology Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Water chemistry.

Water.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London, England ; Hoboken, New Jersey : ISTE Ltd : John Wiley & Sons, 2014.

Summary:

The presence of water on Earth is discussed in this book using various theories about its origin as a basis. These theories include a massive degassing of the primitive parent bodies that built our planet as well as a late addition from comets that collided with the Earth's surface. The extraordinary physico-chemical properties of the water molecules, combined with its abundance and distribution over the Earth's surface, have contributed to regulating the global climate and favoring species' evolution for more than 4 billion years. The early emergence of life in the deep ocean and its further diversification were closely linked to the global water cycle whose dynamics result from the energy balance between solar radiation and the internal heat flux of the Earth. Chapter 1 of this book deals with the extraordinary physico-chemical properties of the water molecule while Chapter 2 provides insight on theories regarding the origin of water on Earth. In the third chapter, the author focuses on the chemical composition of the main water reservoirs of our planet. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss water's relationship with plate tectonics and life, respectively. The sixth and final chapter uses stable isotope tracking to look into the water cycle and past climates. Contents 1. Water: A Molecule Endowed with Extraordinary Physicochemical Properties. 2. Theories about the Origin of Water on Earth. 3. The Main Water Reservoirs on Earth and their Chemical Composition. 4. Water and Plate Tectonics. 5. Water and Life. 6. Stable Isotope Tracking: Water Cycles and Climates of the Past. The presence of water on Earth is discussed on the basis of the various theories about its origin such as a massive degassing of the primitive parent bodies that built our planet as well as a late addition from comets that collided with its surface. The extraordinary physico-chemical properties of the water molecule combined with its abundance and distribution over the Earth's surface have contributed to regulating the global climate and favoring the evolution of species for more than 4 billion years. The early emergence of life in the deep ocean and its further diversification were closely linked to the global water cycle whose dynamics result from the energy balance between solar radiation and the internal heat flux of the Earth.

Contents:

Cover

Title page

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Water: A Molecule Endowed with Extraordinary Physicochemical Properties

1.1. Molecular geometry and electrical properties

1.2. Phase diagram

1.3. Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen

1.4. Thermodynamic properties

1.4.1. Conduction of heat

1.5. Optical properties

1.5.1. Turbidity, ternary mixtures and the "Ouzo" effect

1.6. Underwater propagation of sound

1.7. Synthesis and electrolysis

1.8. Bibliography

Chapter 2. Theories about the Origin of Water on Earth

2.1. The blue planet of the solar system

2.2. Comets

2.3. Carbonaceous chondrites and icy asteroids

2.4. Small magnitude evolution of the D/H ratio of the oceans

2.5. Chemical composition of the primordial Earth's oceans

2.5.1. The early huge "greenhouse effect

2.5.2. pH and redox state of the primordial Earth's oceans

2.5.3. Archean ultramafic rocks: a trap for carbon dioxide

2.5.4. The salinity of the primordial Earth's oceans

2.6. Bibliography

Chapter 3. The Main Water Reservoirs on Earth and their Chemical Composition

3.1. Masses of water reservoirs

3.1.1. Ice caps

3.1.2. Groundwaters

3.1.3. Rivers

3.1.4. Lakes

3.1.5. Brackish waters

3.1.6. Oceans

3.1.7. Salinity

3.1.8. The definition of water masses

3.1.9. The wind-driven surface ocean circulation

3.1.10. Thermohaline circulation: the global ocean conveyor

3.2. The superficial hydrological cycle, water fluxes and residence times

3.3. Chemical composition of rivers

3.4. Ocean chemical composition

3.4.1. Dissolved salts

3.4.2. Dissolved gases

3.4.3. Variations of dissolved O2 and CO2 with oceanic depth

3.4.4. Brief concept of alkalinity

3.4.5. The oceanic carbon pump and the pH of seawater

3.5. Chemical composition of rainfall.

3.6. Why are oceans salty?

3.7. Hypersaline waters

3.7.1. The Dead Sea

3.7.2. Mono Lake, USA

3.8. Geothermal waters and the "petrifying springs

3.9. Bibliography

Chapter 4. Water and Plate Tectonics

4.1. A brief introduction to the theory of "plate tectonics

4.2. Catastrophic events related to global tectonics: tsunamis

4.3. Oceanic hydrothermal activity

4.4. Water in the Earth's mantle

4.4.1. Water in nominally anhydrous minerals

4.4.2. IR spectroscopy or how to see water traces in mantle minerals

4.5. Subduction and volcanic activity

4.6. Continental growth and recycling

4.7. Bibliography

Chapter 5. Water and Life

5.1. Cell functioning and metabolic activity

5.1.1. Human body water, blood and pH

5.1.2. Cell functioning

5.1.3. Body water balance

5.1.4. Body heat balance

5.2. Adaptation and readaptation of tetrapods to the aquatic environment

5.3. Biodiversity in the aquatic environment

5.3.1. Freshwater biodiversity

5.3.2. Marine biodiversity

5.4. Bibliography

Chapter 6. Stable Isotope Tracking: Water Cycles and Climates of the Past

6.1. Principles of stable isotope fractionation between substances

6.1.1. Quantum mechanics and isotopic fractionation

6.1.2. Physicochemical processes responsible for isotopic fractionation

6.1.3. Techniques of stable isotope measurements of aqueous solutions

6.1.4. The "salt effect" and the isotopic measurement of brines

6.2. The surface water cycle

6.2.1. Isotopic fractionations during water evaporation and condensation

6.2.2. Precipitation

6.2.3. The concept of "amount effect

6.2.4. Geographic distribution of rainfall δD and δ18O values

6.2.5. δD and δ18O variations of rainfall with altitude

6.2.6. Rainfall δD and δ18O values as a function of air temperature

6.2.7. The δ18O of the sea surface waters.

6.2.8. S and δ18O relationships in the ocean

6.2.9. S and δ18O relationships in the coastal waters

6.3. The stable isotope memory of fossil biominerals

6.3.1. Isotopic fractionation equation between biominerals and water

6.3.2. Robustness of the isotopic record through time

6.3.3. Tracking the ecology of extinct vertebrate species

6.3.4. The aquatic environments of the Jurassic turtles of Western Europe

6.3.5. Isotopic records of long-term climate changes

6.3.6. Variations in the δD and δ18O of polar ice caps

6.3.7. Isotopic records of climatic seasonal variations

6.4. Aqueous inclusions trapped in minerals

6.5. Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781118574935

1118574931

9781118574928

1118574923

9781118575321

1118575326

OCLC:

865653991