CONSTANT VOLUMES PER OXYGEN OF THE EARTH’S LAYERS

摘要

Through the calculation of the VPOs (volume per oxygen) of 1698 rocks and minerals, the authors reach the following conclusion: the mean VPO of glassy extrusive rocks is 22.5. The mean VPO of semicrystalline extrusive rocks is 21.5. Crystalline extrusive and all intrusive rooks from granite to gabbro have a mean VPO of 20.6. According to the models of the earth’s layers, the VPO of the upper crust is 20.8. If the lower crust is composed of gabbro, the VPO is about the same as that of the upper crust. If it consists of amphibolite or dioritic garnet granulite, the VPO is 18.8. Based on the data of mantle inclusions and high pressure and high temperature experiments, the calculated VPO of the upper mantle is 17.7. All these are constants in each layer and correspond to the packing concentrations in the packing of equal spheres.