Gravitational Instability and the Development of the Structure of Continents (attempt at a synthesis)

Abstract

The development of the structure of continents in all its manifestations and at all stages could be associated with the phenomenon of gravitational instability as the principal cause of endogenous processes. Gravitational instability on a general scale of the Earth appears both in the process of primary accumulation of the protoplanetary material and in the consecutive changes in its phase state. These changes occur as the result of heating of the Earth’s interior largely under the influence of radioactive decay. Gravitational instability appears on different levels within the globe and on different scales. The asthenosphere is an important level of instability. Near the surface, on a smaller scale, the instability appears in the process of sedimentation and as the secondary product of tectonic displacements. This article describes in a qualitative form the general scheme of processes in the Earth related to gravitational instability. Only parts of the scheme might be considered proven; other parts remain suppositional. When proposing suggestions, the author has sought to formulate the most logically secure concept which can serve as a guide for further studies and, to a certain extent, as an alternative to the “new global tectonics.”