Group 1

Planetary
Environment
Presenters:
Aguila, Mia Joy C.
Basea, Jossel Joy J.
Bijasa, Sherrie Mae H.
 An Overview of Our Planetary
Environment
What is Planetary Environment?
The Earth and its environment may be
divided into several realms, the names of
which end in -sphere. These spheres include
the atmosphere (air), lithosphere (rocks), the
hydrosphere (water), the biosphere (living
things), and the magnetosphere (magnetic
fields).
Magnetosphere
The Earth's magnetic field
is like that produced by a
large bar magnet. However,
the interior of the Earth is
not permanently magnetized.
The magnetic field may be
explained by the dynamo
theory. In this theory, the
magnetic field is produced
by rotation of Earth's fluid
metallic core.
Atmosphere
Compared to the size of
the Earth , the atmosphere is
a thin shell. The part of the
atmosphere we know best —
the troposphere — is an
even thinner shell, only 12
kilometers (7.5 miles) thick. It
is in the troposphere that all
weather occurs; it is only
here that life exists.
Lithosphere
The solid, outer part of
Earth. The lithosphere
includes the brittle upper
portion of the mantle and the
crust, the outermost layers
of Earth's structure. It is
bounded by the atmosphere
above and the
asthenosphere (another part
of the upper mantle) below.
Hydrosphere
Earth is the only planet in
our solar system on which
liquid water is present. More
than two-thirds of the Earth's
surface is covered by water.
In addition to the oceans, the
hydrosphere consists of
water in lakes and streams,
subsurface water, the ice of
glaciers, and water vapor in
the atmosphere.
 An Overview of Our Planetary
Environment

The solar system formed over 4.5

billion years ago. The earth is
unique among the planets in its
chemical composition, abundant
surface water, and oxygen-rich
atmosphere

The interaction between geologic

environments and our 6 million
human beings reshapes our planet

Image collage from NASA/JPL

 Earth in space and time
• Big Bang, the origin of today’s universe
• The Big Bang Theory is the dominant
scientific theory about the origin of the
universe. Although the Big Bang
Theory is widely accepted, it probably
will never be proved.
• According to the big bang, the universe
was created sometime between 10
billion and 20 billion years ago from a
cosmic explosion that hurled matter
and in all directions.
 Earth in space and time
• Stars formed from the debris of the Big
Bang. Local high concentrations of mass
were collected together by gravity and
formed stars and planets.
• The sun and its system of circling nine
planets formed from a rotating cloud of
gas and dust.
• Most of the mass of the cloud coalesced
to form the sun. Dust condensed from
the gases remaining in the flattened
cloud, and the dust clumped into
planets.
 Earth in space and time
• The compositions of the planets formed
depended largely on how near they were
to the hot sun.
• The nearest planets to the sun contained
mainly metallic iron, a few very high
temperature minerals, and little water or
gas. Farther from the sun, the planets
incorporated much larger amounts of
low temperature minerals, liquid water,
and condensed gases.
• A series of planets with a variety of
compositions was born.
 Figure 1.1 The
distance scale is
logarithmic
The planetary densities are consistent with a
higher metal and rock content in the four planets
closest to the sun and a much larger proportion of
ice and gas in the planets farther from the sun.
 Earth in space and time
• Third planet from the Sun
– over 4 billion years old
– Mean temperature 15 oC, not too hot or cold
• Nine chemically distinct planets in our Solar
System
– Four rocky and metallic inner planets
• Inner-most planets very hot (nearest the Sun)
– Four gaseous outer planets
• Outer planets very cold
– Ninth planet, Pluto, may not be a planet
• Universe is over 15-20 billion years old
Fig. 1.2 the planets
of the solar system
have different
composition and
physical properties
 Solar System
• Solar System
• Formed after the universe
• Planets revolve around Sun
– One complete trip for Earth equals one year
– Earth at 23.5o tilt from the vertical
– Hemispheres of the Earth do not receive equal
solar energy year round
• Because of the tilt
• Produces seasons
 Earth – continuous change
• Early Earth – a barren world with a cratered
surface
– lacked oceans
– Lacked atmosphere
• Earth heated up and was molten
• Earth was target of many impacts
– Asteroids
– Dust Particles
– Meteors
– Comets
 Earth – continuous change
• Differentiation of this world developed compositional zones
– Central core: dense and hot
• Composed of nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe)
– Mantle: thick zone that surrounds the core
• Composed of ultramafic and mafic rocks and magma
• Heat from core escapes by convective circulation
– Crust: chemically different from core or mantle
• Two types of crust: Oceanic (mafic) and Crustal
(felsic)
• Water and atmospheric gases interact only with
outermost crust
Figure 1.3 A chemically differentiated earth
Table 1.02
 Early Atmosphere
• The heating and subsequent differentiation of the early earth
led to the formation of the atmosphere and oceans.
• Chemically different than today
– No modern pollution
– Lacked free oxygen (O2)
– Dominated by nitrogen (N) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
– Minor amounts of other gases:
• Methane (CH4)
• Ammonia (NH3)
• Sulfur gases
• Barren of life
Figure 1.4 the geologic spiral
 First Life
• Early atmosphere required modification
before life could evolve
– Single-celled blue-green algae flourished first
– Abundant oxygen was required for other life
• Photosynthesis by algae produced oxygen
– Sunlight energized a chemical reaction in
algae
– Food was produced from CO2
– Oxygen given off as a by-product
• Oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere
– Life for oxygen meant breathing
organisms could evolve
 Life Evolves on Earth
Up to 500 million years ago

• Early life forms – little evidence

– no hard parts (no teeth, bones, shells, or claws)
• Earliest rocks – limited life forms, single-celled
organisms
– 2 billion years ago some rocks show evidence of
blue-green algae
• Multicelled creatures appear 1 billion years ago
– Oxygenated atmosphere developed
• Marine animals with shells widespread by 600
million years ago
 Life Evolves on Earth
Last 500 million years
• Vertebrates appear about 500 million years ago
• Land plants appear about 400 million years ago
• Insects develop about 300 million years ago
• Dinosaurs appear about 200 million years ago
• Birds appear about 150 million years ago
• Mammals and birds well established by 100
million years ago
• Primitive human beings appear by 3 to 4 million
years ago
• Modern humans (Homo sapiens) appear during
last 90,000 years
 Geology as a Science
• Geology at first was an
observational science
– People would see a
geologic curiosity and
describe it
– Later, people would
attempt to explain it
• Modern geology
combines observation
and laboratory activities
(measurements and
calculations) to explain
natural phenomena
 Geology as a Science
• Geology has grown rapidly into an
analytical science
– Experiments must consider changes in
temperature, pressure, stress, chemical
parameters, and time
– Not just a descriptive science, but a more
quantitative and more interdisciplinary science
through time
– Starting materials that form rocks and minerals
often are completely changed during the course of
time
• Geology is an environmental science
– Rocks record how earth has changed over time
– Control of erosion and sedimentation required
under Clean Water Act
– Recognition and mitigation of natural hazards
 Why Environmental Geology?
• Environmental geology explores the many
and varied interactions between humans and
geologic environments
• Earth is a dangerous place!
– Earthquakes and Volcanoes
– Floods, Mass wasting, and Soil erosion
– Global Warming
– Quest for more energy
– Pollution and Storage of toxic waste
– Find and manage fresh water
– Find new resources (they are limited)
– Remediate sites of mineral extraction
 Figure 1.5
27 Jul 2022

A handout photo made available by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) shows a
collapsed building following an earthquake that Abra province in the Philippines
main island of Luzon [Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)/EPA]
 Figure 1.6 The Philippines is hit by an
average of 20 typhoons every
year.

Similar to a hurricane, a
typhoon’s super fast wind speeds
cause huge amounts of damage,
while the storm surges they
create flood coastal areas.

Worryingly, the intensity of these

storms has massively increased
in recent years, with five of the
deadliest on record happening
since 2006. This is largely due to
increased sea temperatures as a
result of global heating, which
causes typhoons to become less
Image via UNHCR Photo Unit
frequent but much more powerful.
 Figure 1.7

An aerial view shows flooding after Super Typhoon Karding, in San

Miguel, Bulacan province, Philippines, September 26, 2022.
 Figure 1.8

Dozens of people have been

buried alive and at least 22
have died after a landslide
engulfed two villages in the
Philippines, triggered by
extreme weather conditions in
the aftermath of Typhoon
Ompong.

Fri 21 Sep 2018

 Population Growth
• Population has experienced exponential
growth:
– Possibly 9 billion people by 2050
– Slow population growth up until mid-19th century
– Doubling times have become shorter
– Life expectancy has increased
– Birth rates have greatly exceeded mortality rates
– People are more mobile and can live anywhere
• New perils will confront us because of our
increasing population
– AIDS epidemic
– Impacts dictated by economic, social, or religious
values
– Limited exploitation of new sources of natural resources
– Growing demand by third world countries wanting to
become first world countries
Figure 1.9
World population projected to reach 8
billion in late 2022
Impacts of the Human Population
• Rapid growth of humans result in problems
obtaining an adequate food supply
• Expect problems with maintaining adequate:
– Water supplies for irrigation, drinking, and
industry
– Farmland to produce crops to feed a hungry earth
– Food production is an energy-intensive business
– Supply of energy and minerals for our
material-based lifestyle
– Pollution of air, land, and water pursuing
– Our ever expanding, high energy, and resource
consuming lifestyles
– Genetic engineering contributes to food
production
Figure 1.10 Regions in
the world by population
(2020)
 Figure 1.11 Global population density; the
darker the shading, the higher the population
density.
 Impacts of the Human Population
How do we resolve the issues?
What consequences will we face because of our
growth of the human population?
– Energy and natural resources are finite supplies on earth
• Where do we find more?
– Water supplies have been exhausted in many places
• Where do we find more?
– Croplands are replaced by homes and cities
• Where do we find more?
– Waste, the products of our lifestyle, must be put somewhere
• Where do we put it and at what cost?
– Carrying Capacity, its ability to sustain its population at a
basic, healthy, moderately comfortable standard of living
• Have we exceeded it?
– Global Warming, the activity of billions of people is
impacting the climate of earth
• Can we reverse it?