The Biosphere in the Cosmic Medium

Abstract

The face of the Earth⁷ viewed from celestial space presents a unique appearance, different from all other heavenly bodies. The surface that separates the planet from the cosmic medium is the biosphere, visible principally because of light from the sun, although it also receives an infinite number of other radiations from space, of which only a small fraction are visible to us. We hardly realize the variety and importance of these rays, which cover a huge range of wavelengths.

Article FootNote

In this first phrase Vernadsky echoes the title and opening sentence of Eduard Suess’s influential geological compendium, Die Antlitz der Erde [The Face of the Earth] (Suess, 1883–1909, p.1). Suess wrote:

“If we imagine an observer to approach our planet from outer space, and, pushing aside the belts of red-brown clouds which obscure our atmosphere, to gaze for a whole day on the surface of the earth as it rotates beneath him, the feature beyond all others most likely to arrest his attention would be the wedge-like outline of the continents as they narrow away to the South.”

For more information on Suess’s influence, see Greene (1982). Vernadsky admired the inductive approach utilized by Suess in this book.