The Earth System

The Earth System

• “Earth is a complex
system of interacting
physical, chemical
and biological
processes, and
provides a natural
laboratory whose
experiments have
been running since
the beginning of
time.”

NASA
 Earth As A Closed System

Closed system: exchange of energy but negligible

exchange of mass with surroundings
 Earth System Science

•Earth is a dynamic body

with many separate, but
highly interacting parts
or spheres.
•Earth system science
studies Earth as a
system composed of
numerous parts, or
subsystems.
The Earth System M. Ruzek, 1999
The Earth’s Four Spheres
 Earth’s Four Spheres
The Earth is a system consisting of four major
interacting components:

Geosphere: comprises the solid Earth and includes both

Earth’s surface and the various layers of the Earth's
interior.
Atmosphere: gaseous envelope that surrounds the Earth
and constitutes the transition between its and the
vacuum of space
Hydrosphere: includes all water on Earth (including
surface water and groundwater)
Biosphere: the life zone of the Earth and includes all living
organisms, and all organic matter that has not yet
decomposed.
Overlapping Cycles in the Earth
System

http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/GRAPHIC0/Astronomy/EarthSystems.gif
 The Atmosphere

The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of

air, which we call the atmosphere.
• The atmosphere consists of four unique
layers (the troposphere, the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the
thermosphere).
• The atmosphere reaches over 560
kilometers (348 miles) up from the
surface of the Earth.
• The atmosphere is primarily composed
of nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen
(about 21%). Other components exist in
small quantities.
 Atmosphere
 consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour
•The mesosphere,
thermosphere, and
exosphere are zones of
diffuse atmospheric
components in the far The stratosphere
reaches of the (10 to 50 km),
atmosphere. contains ozone that
protects life on the
•The troposphere (0-10 planet by filtering
km) constitutes the harmful ultraviolet
climate system that radiation from the
maintains the conditions Sun.
suitable for life on the
planet's surface.
Atmosphere: Interactions with other Earth System
components
Hydrosphere: The gases of the atmosphere readily
exchange with those dissolved in water bodies (e.g.
oceans, lakes, etc.)

Biosphere: The atmosphere supplies oxygen and

carbon dioxide that form the basis of life processes
(photosynthesis and respiration).

Geosphere: Gases in the atmosphere react with

water to produce weak acids that aid in the
breakdown of rock.
 System Interactions

Hurricanes (atmosphere) sweep across the

ocean (hydrosphere) and onto the land
(geosphere), damaging the dwellings of
people (biosphere) who live along the
coast.

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere Geosphere

http://www.itvs.org/risingwaters/

Biosphere
 The Biosphere
The biosphere is the “life zone” of the Earth, and
includes all living organisms (including humans), and all
organic matter that has not yet decomposed.
• The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as the
food chain (all life is dependent on the first tier – mainly the
primary producers that are capable of photosynthesis).
• Energy and mass is transferred from one level of the food
chain to the next.

http://www.geology.ufl.edu/Biosphere.html
 Biosphere: Interactions with other Earth System
components
Atmosphere: Life processes involve a many chemical
reactions which either extract or emit gases to and from the
atmosphere (e.g. photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide
and releases oxygen, whereas respiration does the
opposite).

Hydrosphere: Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces

(transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.

Geosphere: The biosphere is connected to the geosphere

through soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter, organic
matter, and water). Plant activity (e.g. root growth and
organic acid production) are also for the mechanical and
chemical breakdown of the rocks.
 Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the
water found on our planet.
• Water found on the surface of our planet
includes the ocean as well as water from
lakes and rivers, streams, and creeks.
• Water found under the surface of our
planet includes water trapped in the soil
and groundwater.
• Water found in our atmosphere includes
water vapor.
• Frozen water on our planet includes ice
caps and glaciers. http://water.tamu.edu/watercycle.html

• Only about 3% of the water on Earth is

“fresh” water, and about 70% of the fresh
water is frozen in the form of glacial ice.
Subcomponents of hydrosphere are
connected via the hydrologic cycle
Hydrosphere: Interactions with other Earth System
components

Atmosphere: Water is transferred between the

hydrosphere and biosphere by evaporation and
precipitation. Energy is also exchanged in this process.

Biosphere: Water is necessary for the transport of

nutrients and waste products in organisms.

Geosphere: Water is the primary agent for the chemical

and mechanical breakdown of rock (weathering), to
form loose rock fragments and soil, and sculpts the
surface of the Earth.
 Geosphere

The geosphere is the solid Earth

that includes the continental and
ocean crust as well the various
layers of Earth’s interior.
• 94% of the Earth is composed
of the elements oxygen, silicon,
and magnesium.
• The geosphere is not static
(unchanging), but its surface
(crust) is in a constant state of
motion.
• Mineral resources are mined http://ess.geology.ufl.edu/ess/Introduction/Geosphere.
from the geosphere. html
 Earth’s Layers: Composition and Mechanical Characteristics

Composition Physical Characteristics

crust Primarily silica
lithosphere brittle solid
plus light asthenosphere solid (but
metallic nearly
elements liquid)

mantle
mesosphere solid
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium

outer core liquid

Primarily iron
core and nickel
inner core solid

Note: Lithosphere contains both crust and uppermost (brittle) layer of mantle
Geosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: volcanism spews significant amounts of gases

into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject large
amounts of sulphur dioxide to the upper atmosphere,
resulting in global cooling.

Hydrosphere: The formation of many minerals involve

incorporation or release of water. Also, water speeds up
chemical reactions that produce or destroy minerals, and aids
in the melting of rock.

Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks during their

breakdown are dissolved in water (to be used by aquatic
plants).
 System Interactions

Volcanoes (geosphere) erupt, sending

ash and gases into the air (atmosphere)
and sending lava and ash down onto
surrounding forests (biosphere) and
human habitations (biosphere).

Geosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere http://www.ecuador-

travel.net/information.volcano.pichin
cha.eruption.htm
 System Interactions
Earthquakes (geosphere) can damage buildings which may
kill people (biosphere), as well as cause fires which release
gases into the air (atmosphere). Earthquakes in the ocean
may cause a tsunami (hydrosphere) which can eventually hit
land and kill both animals and people (biosphere).

Biosphere

Geosphere Atmosphere

Hydrosphere
 Where Do Humans Fit In ?

As components of the biosphere, humans are temporary

receptacles of the matter and energy that flows through
the Earth System.

“You are what you eat, drink, and breathe”

Human health is, to some degree, a function of how this

flow of matter and energy flows through, and interacts
with, the human body.

In many cases, problems of human health are

fundamentally linked to the natural distribution of Earth
materials.