Swiss and Alpine geologists between two tectonic revolutions. Part 2: From drifting continents towards plate tectonics |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Jean-Paul?SchaerEmail author |
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Institution: | 1.Institute of Geology and Hydrogeology,University of Neuchatel,Neuchatel,Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Following the major contributions of Wegener and Argand (Part 1), it was the work of synthesis carried out by R. Staub that
represented the major contribution Alpine geology made with respect to that heritage. The research work of young scientists
(Gagnebin, Juvet, Wavre, Leuba) who had been influenced by Argand was of lesser importance. Ampferer’s ground breaking contribution,
coming along with illuminating graphic illustrations, was all but ignored. Although remaining fairly popular, the theory of
continental drift found itself under the heavy fire of criticism from influential geologists in the USA and in Europe. In
order to test the validity of the idea, C.E. Wegmann suggested linking geological field work with oceanographic research.
He showed that the trajectories of drifting had to be conceived as following the small circles of the sphere. With regard
to Alpine geologists of the time, they were renowned for the high quality of their geological mapping. This remained the very
special activity in which they excelled, but they focused on topics that were becoming narrower and narrower, and increasingly
specialised. The new avenues for research that Holmes and Hess opened up had but little impact on Alpine geologists. In fact,
they apparently remained unaware of a note by Holmes written in German and published in a Swiss journal. On the eve of the
Second World War, the meeting of the Geologische Vereinigung devoted to the origin of the Atlantic Ocean confirmed that continental drift was being seriously challenged, although a few
papers pointed to new developments, e.g. that in Iceland extensional tectonics had been active for the last 5,000 years. Most
Alpine geologists were either highly critical of the theory of plate tectonic when it arrived or expressed serious reservations
towards the idea. Of the exceptions, first Laubscher and then Bernoulli showed very clearly how important the new theory could
be for understanding the evolution of Alpine orogeny. Continental drift and plate tectonics were very much the product of
the creative imagination of human minds. Whereas Wegener used a broad range of confirmed results, plate tectonics sprang out
of the new research being carried out in the domain of oceans. Graphic illustration was one of the favourite vehicles used
to put across these new perspectives. Sometimes their impact remained alive long after their author had withdrawn his backing
for the idea (as was the case for Argand’s “embryonic tectonics”); sometimes, even in spite of their very high standard, they
were just ignored (which was the case for Ampferer). |
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