j. gain and loss of gas and dust from
solid Earth
k. cosmic rays
Preliminary Global Evolution Model
© Bob Field 2007-0525
Identify and sequence nearly five billion
years of globally important physical and
biological events and processes in nominal
100 million year time intervals.
Provide preliminary or plausible answers to
W5H: who what when where why how.
1.
2.
5.
3.
Oceans
a. volume
b. depth
c. area of neritic province
d. upwelling area
e. vent area
f. surface currents
g. deep sea circulation
h. convection pattern: mass and heat
flow rates
i. composition: water and salt
j. dissolved O2, CO2, N2
k. acidity
l. nutrients
m. minerals
n. material distribution
o. thermal structure and surface
temperature
p. seafloor composition and structure
q. freshwater volume, area, and flow
r. sea / land ice area, depth, thickness,
and mass
Atmosphere
a. density, mass, pressure
b. composition: O2, CO2, N2, O3, O,
H2O mass and distribution
c. aerosol, dust, and moisture mass
and distribution
d. cloud area and mass and
distribution
e. albedo: Rayleigh Mie, land, sea
scattering
f. thermal structure
g. convection pattern: mass and heat
flow rates vs. latitude and altitude
h. latent heat and evaporation,
condensation, and precipitation
rates
i. gain and loss of gas and dust from
space
i. radiative transport rates, opacity,
and mean free paths
4.
Solid Earth
a. rotation period and Equatorial
bulge
b. lunar distance and tidal ranges
c. surface area
d. surface temperature and thermal
structure
e. land area
f. plate subduction rates
g. continent mass and volume and
growth and removal rates
h. oceanic sedimentation rates
i. composition and distribution
j. interior chemical differentiation
rates: mantle rock, iron core,
crust, gases, water
k. number of plates, sizes, speeds
l. sizes of land masses
m. coastal areas and continental shelf
areas and depths
n. interior heat flow rates
o. volume and mass of inner and outer
cores
p. non-terrestrial energy and matter
flows
q. impacts and bombardments
r. magnetic fields
s. mantle convection pattern: mass
and heat flow rates
t. hot spot plume number, areas, flow
rates
Sun
a. solar flux and spectral distribution
UV, visible, and infrared
b. solar spectrum at sea level and at
mountain peaks vs. time of day,
latitude, and season
c. solar radius
d. thermal structure and surface
temperature
e. density and pressure profiles
f. convection pattern: mass and heat
flow rates
g. composition and metallicity
h. main sequence core hydrogen
fusion rates
6.
Molecules
a. prebiotic molecules
b. protocell molecules
c. last common ancestor molecules
d. thioester, PNA, RNA, DNA, AMP,
ATP
e. lipids, carbohydrates
f. early substrates and environments
g. concentration and distribution of
molecules
h. sources of molecular building
blocks
i. amino acids, nuclei acids, sugars
j. proteins
k. structure and function molecules
l. cellulose, lignin, starch
m. pigment sources and functions
n. toxin sources and functions
o. biomineral sources and functions
Cells
a. replication
b. transcription
c. translation
d. lateral gene transfer
e. sexual reproduction
f. energy
g. information
h. containment
i. cell walls
j. cytoskeleton
k. environmental exchange of
materials and energy
l. metabolic processes
m. fermentation: anaerobic and
aerobic
n. respiration
o. chemosynthesis
p. photosynthesis I and II
q. heterotrophy
r. autotrophy
s. prebiotic cells
t. protocells
u. last common ancestor cells
v. prokaryotes
w. eukaryotes
x. phagocytosis
y. organelles
z. ribosomes
aa. nucleus
bb. mitochondria
cc. chloroplast
dd. enzymes
ee. proton pumps
ff. electron transfer
gg. motors
hh. gene expression
ii. cell specialization and
diversification
jj. multicellularity
kk. cell repair functions
ll. toxin management
mm. symbiosis
7.
Organisms
a. cell specialization
b. organism structures
c. bones, skeleton, and shell
d. digestion
e. reproduction
f. circulation
g. locomotion
h. symbiosis
i. material and energy transport
j. muscle
k. roots, stems, leaves, seeds, flowers
l. scales, feather, fur, fat
m. neurons
n. amniotes
o. adaptive radiation
p. convergent evolution
q. co-evolution
r. kingdoms and phyla or divisions
s. adaptations to seafloor, freshwater,
land, water, oceans
8.
Ecosystems
a. symbiosis
b. competition
c. cooperation
d. predation
e. co-evolution
f. adaptive radiation
g. convergent evolution
h. aquatic and terrestrial habitats
i. deep sea habitats
j. deep land habitats
k. severe acidic and thermal
environments