New Concept for Internal Heat Production in Hot Jupiter Exo-Planets

Discovery of hot Jupiter exo-planets, those with anomalously inflated size and low density relative to Jupiter, has evoked much discussion as to possible sources of internal heat production. But to date, no explanations have come forth that are generally applicable. The explanations advanced typically involve presumed tidal dissipation and/or converted incident stellar radiation. The present, brief communication suggests a novel interfacial nuclear fission-fusion source of internal heat production for hot Jupiters that has been overlooked by theoreticians and which has potentially general applicability

Nature of Planetary Matter and Magnetic Field Generation in the Solar System

Understanding the nature of the matter comprising the Solar System is crucial for understanding the mechanism that generates the Earth's geomagnetic field and the magnetic fields of other planets and satellites. The commonality in the Solar System of matter like that of the inside of the Earth, together with common nuclear reactor operating conditions,forms the basis for generalizing the author's concept of nuclear geomagnetic field generation to planetary magnetic field generation by natural planetocentric nuclear fission reactors

Potentially Significant Source of Error in Magnetic Paleolatitude Determinations

The discovery of close-to-star gas-giant exo-planets lends support to the idea of Earth's origin as a Jupiter-like gas giant and to the consequences of its compression, including whole-Earth decompression dynamics that gives rise, without requiring mantle convection, to the myriad measurements and observations whose descriptions are attributed to plate tectonics. I show here that paleolatitude determinations, used extensively in Pangaea-like reconstructions and in paleoclimate considerations, may be subject to potentially significant errors if rock-magnetization was acquired at Earth-radii less than present

A New Basis of Geoscience: Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics

Neither plate tectonics nor Earth expansion theory is sufficient to provide a basis for understanding geoscience. Each theory is incomplete and possesses problematic elements, but both have served as stepping stones to a more fundamental and inclusive geoscience theory that I call Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics (WEDD). WEDD begins with and is the consequence of our planet's early formation as a Jupiter-like gas giant and permits deduction of:(1) Earth's internal composition, structure, and highly-reduced oxidation state; (2) Core formation without whole-planet melting; (3) Powerful new internal energy sources - proto-planetary energy of compression and georeactor nuclear fission energy; (4) Georeactor geomagnetic field generation; (5) Mechanism for heat emplacement at the base of the crust resulting in the crustal geothermal gradient; (6) Decompression driven geodynamics that accounts for the myriad of observations attributed to plate tectonics without requiring physically-impossible mantle convection, and; (7) A mechanism for fold-mountain formation that does not necessarily require plate collision. The latter obviates the necessity to assume supercontinent cycles. Here, I review the principles of Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics and describe a new underlying basis for geoscience and geology.Comment: Accepted for publication in NCGT Journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1306.6891, arXiv:1003.5910, arXiv:1107.214

Mantle Decompression Thermal-Tsunami

Previously in geophysics, only three heat transport processes have been considered: conduction, radiation, and convection or, more generally, bouyancy-driven mass transport. As a consequence of whole-Earth decompression dynamics, I add a fourth, called mantle decompression thermal-tsunami, which may emplace heat at the base of the crust from a heretofore unanticipated source.Comment: Submitted to Current Science (India

Primary Initiation of Submarine Canyons

The discovery of close-to-star gas-giant exo-planets lends support to the idea of Earth's origin as a Jupiter-like gas-giant and to the consequences of its compression, including whole-Earth decompression dynamics that gives rise, without requiring mantle convection, to the myriad measurements and observations whose descriptions are attributed to plate tectonics. I propose here another, unanticipated consequence of whole-Earth decompression dynamics: namely, a specific, dominant, non-erosion, underlying initiation-mechanism precursor for submarine canyons that follows as a direct consequence of Earth's early origin as a Jupiter-like gas-giant

Science Citation Index data: Two additional reasons against its use for administrative purposes

First, for decades the use of anonymity in reviews for science funding proposals and for evaluating manuscripts for publication has been gradually corrupting American science, encouraging and rewarding the dark elements of human nature. Unethical reviewers, secure and unaccountable through anonymity, all too often make untrue and/or pejorative statements to eliminate their professional competitors. Survival in this corrupt environment has led to a consensus-only mentality. Consequently, important scientific contradictions, if they can be published at all, are selectively ignored in many instances out of fear of anonymous retaliation. Science Citation Index data in such a corrupt environment may be of little administrative value, except for possible use in documenting scientific fraud. Second, as knowledge of the administrative use of Science Citation Index data spreads, scientists will adapt and will shift to research on popular subjects to elicit greater numbers of citations, rather than to take the paths less trodden where important scientific discoveries may lay waiting.Comment: Accepted for publication in Current Scienc

New Indivisible Geoscience Paradigm

Earth's interior, I posit, is like one of the rare, oxygen-starved "enstatite chondrite" meteorites (and unlike a more-oxidized "ordinary chondrite" as has been believed for seventy years). Laboratory-analyzed enstatite-chondrite samples are comparable to having-in-hand impossibleto- gather deep-Earth samples. Enstatite-chondrite formation in oxygen-starved conditions caused oxygen-loving elements to occur, in part, as non-oxides in their iron-alloy. Observations, consistent with solar abundance and behavior of chemical elements, lead me to a new interpretation of: (1) Earth's early formation as a Jupiter-like gas-giant, (2) its decompressionpowered surface geology, (3) Earth's internal composition, and (4) a natural, planetocentric nuclear-fission reactor as source of both the geomagnetic field and energy channeled to surface "hot-spots". I present a unified vision of Earth formation and concomitant dynamics that explains in a logical and causally related way: (1) fluid Earth-core formation without wholeplanet melting, and (2) the myriad measurements and observations, previously attributed to "plate tectonics", but without necessitating mantle convection

Impact of Recent Discoveries on Petroleum and Natural Gas Exploration: Emphasis on India

Two discoveries have greatly impacted understanding relevant to the origination and emplacement of petroleum and natural gas deposits. One discovery, pertaining to hydrocarbon formation from methane broadens significantly potential regions where abiotic petroleum and natural gas deposits might be found. The other, discovery of the physical impossibility of Earth-mantle convection, restricts the range and domain of geodynamic behavior, and leads to new insights on the formation of petroleum and natural gas deposits. This article highlights the impact and implications of those discoveries, especially as they relate to petroleum and natural gas exploration in India and throughout the world. From the reasoning developed here, the generality of the considerations involved, the understanding developed with respect to the East African Rift System, and the experience garnered from the larger and older Siberian Traps, the prognosis and potential for the region beneath the Deccan Traps of India to eventually become a major source of petroleum and natural gas seems quite favorable

Ordinary Chondrite Formation from two Components: Implied Connection to Planet Mercury

Major element fractionation among chondrites has been discussed for decades as ratios relative to Si or Mg. Expressing ratios relative to Fe leads to a new relationship admitting the possibility that ordinary chondrite meteorites are derived from two components: one is a relatively undifferentiated, primitive component, oxidized like the CI or C1 chondrites; the other is a somewhat differentiated, planetary component, with oxidation state like the reduced enstatite chondrites. Such a picture would seem to explain for the ordinary chondrites, their major element compositions, their intermediate states of oxidation, and their ubiquitous deficiencies of refractory siderophile elements. I suggest that the planetary component of ordinary chondrite formation consists of planet Mercury's missing complement of elements.Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Londo