The geographic envelope is an integral, continuous near-surface part of the Earth, within which there is intense interaction between four components: the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere and the biosphere (living matter). This is the most complex and diverse material system of our planet, which includes the entire hydrosphere, the lower layer of the atmosphere (troposphere), the upper part of the lithosphere and the living organisms inhabiting them. The spatial structure of the geographic shell is three-dimensional and spherical. This is a zone of active interaction of natural components, in which the greatest manifestation of physical and geographical processes and phenomena is observed.Boundaries of the geographical envelope fuzzy. Up and down from the earth's surface, the interaction of the components gradually weakens and then completely disappears. Therefore, scientists draw the boundaries of the geographical envelope in different ways. The upper limit is often taken to be the ozone layer, located at an altitude of 25 km, where most of the ultraviolet rays, which have a detrimental effect on living organisms, are retained. However, some researchers carry it out along the upper boundary of the troposphere, which interacts most actively with the earth's surface. The lower boundary on land is usually taken to be the base of the weathering crust up to 1 km thick, and in the ocean - the ocean floor.The concept of the geographical envelope as a special natural formation was formulated at the beginning of the 20th century. A.A. Grigoriev and S.V. Kalesnik. They revealed the main features of the geographical shell: 1) the complexity of the composition and diversity of the state of matter; 2) the occurrence of all physical and geographical processes due to solar (cosmic) and internal (telluric) energy; 3) transformation and partial conservation of all types of energy entering it; 4) the concentration of life and the presence of human society; 5) the presence of a substance in three states of aggregation.The geographical envelope consists of structural parts - components. These are rocks, water, air, plants, animals and soils. They differ in physical state (solid, liquid, gaseous), level of organization (non-living, living, bio-inert), chemical composition, activity (inert - rocks, soil, mobile - water, air, active - living matter).The geographic shell has a vertical structure consisting of individual spheres. The lower tier is composed of dense material of the lithosphere, and the upper ones are represented by lighter material of the hydrosphere and atmosphere. This structure is the result of differentiation of matter with the release of dense matter in the center of the Earth, and lighter matter along the periphery. The vertical differentiation of the geographical shell served as the basis for F.N. Milkov to identify the landscape sphere within it - a thin layer (up to 300 m), where contact and active interaction of the earth’s crust, atmosphere and hydrosphere occurs.The geographical envelope in the horizontal direction is divided into separate natural complexes, which is determined by the uneven distribution of heat in different parts of the earth's surface and its heterogeneity. I call natural complexes formed on land territorial, and in the ocean or other body of water - aquatic. The geographic envelope is a natural complex of the highest planetary rank. On land, it includes smaller natural complexes: continents and oceans, natural zones and such natural formations as the East European Plain, the Sahara Desert, the Amazon Lowland, etc. The smallest natural-territorial complex, in the structure of which all the main components participate, is considered physiographic region. It is a block of the earth's crust connected with all other components of the complex, that is, with water, air, vegetation and wildlife. This block must be sufficiently isolated from neighboring blocks and have its own morphological structure, that is, include parts of the landscape, which are facies, tracts and localities.
Questions before a paragraph
1. What geospheres did you study?
Planet Earth has four geospheres in total - the atmosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere. But some scientists also began to distinguish the earth’s crust, mantle and core.
The atmosphere is the entire air envelope of the Earth.
Lithosphere - the sphere includes the earth's crust and the surface of the mantle.
The hydrosphere is the entire water part of the Earth, all oceans, seas, rivers and lakes.
The biosphere is the totality of all life on Earth, people, animals, birds, fish, bacteria, viruses.
2. What substances do the Earth’s shells consist of?
The atmosphere is the air-filled shell of the earth. The atmosphere contains nitrogen, oxygen, ozone, and carbon dioxide. Helium, hydrogen and inert gases are contained in the atmosphere in minute fractions of a percent. Lithosphere is a solid shell. All known substances from rock to gold and silver can be found in the lithosphere. The hydrosphere consists of water. Occupies 70% of the planet's surface. The biosphere consists of living beings and is in close interaction with the hydrosphere and atmosphere. Also contains organic matter.
3. Where are the boundaries of the earth’s shells located?
The geographic shells of the Earth are systems of the planet where all the components inside are interconnected and defined relative to each other. There are four types of shells - atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
The first is the atmosphere, its outer shell. It is bordered by five layers: the troposphere (8 - 15 km high), the stratosphere (the repository of the ozone layer), the mesosphere, the ionosphere and the topmost one - the exosphere. The second shell includes the lithosphere. The earth's crust consists of it, therefore it is considered the hard shell of the Earth. Water is the hydrosphere. By area it makes up 70% of the Earth and includes all the waters of the planet. Thanks to living organisms, there is another one - the biosphere. Its boundaries: land, soil, hydrosphere and lower atmosphere.
4. What cycles of substances can you tell us about?
What the cycle of substances is can be seen using an example. The simplest of them is the transformation of organic substances. Initially, all multicellular living beings consist of them. After completing their life cycle, their bodies are decomposed by special organisms and organic compounds are converted into inorganic ones. These compounds are then absorbed by other creatures and restored to their organic form inside their bodies. Then the process is repeated and continues cyclically all the time. The circulation of substances occurs with a continuous supply (flow) of the external energy of the Sun and the internal energy of the Earth. Depending on the driving force, with a certain degree of convention, within the cycle of substances one can distinguish geological, biological and anthropogenic cycles.
5. Give examples of the influence of climate on flora and fauna.
Climate has a key influence on the development of ecosystems. For example, in deserts or in land areas located beyond the Arctic Circle, climatic conditions for the development of living beings are extremely unfavorable, which determines poor biodiversity. As an opposite example, we can cite the equatorial territories, where comfortable temperatures and sufficient moisture are maintained all year round, which leads to the rapid development and prosperity of the flora and fauna.
6. What influence does a person have on the shells of the Earth?
Huge and, unfortunately, negative. We can say that human activities have a direct impact on our entire planet, on all its shells. People change landscapes at their discretion (lithosphere), cut down forests, which also leads to changes on the earth's surface. Without the “support” of the roots, the soil is unprotected from the wind, and its top layer simply blows away over time. People drain rivers, create reservoirs and extract minerals from the bowels of the planet. People pollute the water and air, which also affects the biosphere.
Questions and tasks
1. Give examples of the relationship between the Earth’s geospheres.
The interaction of the Earth's geospheres consists of the mutual exchange of matter and the mutual influence of the dynamics of their environments. The movement of air masses in the atmosphere affects the movement of water in the hydrosphere. The liquid substance of the mantle penetrates into the earth's crust and an exchange of substances takes place between the mantle and the earth's crust. The biosphere supplies oxygen to the atmosphere. Hydrosphere - water vapor. The atmosphere protects the organic world and hydrosphere from the sun by retaining moisture and returning it to the earth in the form of precipitation.
2. Define the concept of “geographical envelope” and name its main properties.
The geographic envelope is a set of interactions between such planetary layers as: lithosphere and hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. The biosphere influences the atmosphere through photosynthesis. The atmosphere helps the soil not to overheat. The biosphere, in turn, influences the hydrosphere (organisms influence the salinity of the oceans and seas). A change in any of the shells entails a change in the others. Thus, the increase in land area during the great glaciation led to a cooling of the climate, and as a result, North America and the northern part of Eurasia were covered with ice and snow. This modified the flora and fauna, as well as the soil.
3. Within what boundaries is the spread of the geographical envelope considered?
The boundaries of the geographical envelope are still not clearly defined. Scientists usually take the ozone screen in the atmosphere as its upper limit, beyond which life on our planet does not extend. The lower boundary is most often drawn in the lithosphere at depths of no more than 1000 m. This is the upper part of the earth’s crust, which was formed under the strong combined influence of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and living organisms. The entire thickness of the waters of the World Ocean is inhabited, therefore, if we talk about the lower boundary of the geographical envelope in the ocean, then it should be drawn along the ocean floor. In general, the geographic shell of our planet has a total thickness of about 30 km.
4. What is the structure of the geographic shell?
The geographic envelope is a complex formation resulting from the interaction and interpenetration of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
The hydrosphere and biosphere are completely included in the geographic envelope, but the lithosphere and atmosphere are only partially included (the lithosphere with its upper part, and the atmosphere with its lower part). The interaction of geospheres in the geographic envelope occurs under the influence of the energy of the Sun and the internal energy of the Earth.
5. In what part of the world and in what natural conditions did the ancestors of modern humans appear?
Man appeared, as scientists suggest, in the peculiar natural conditions of global climate change about 2.6 million years ago in East Africa. Therefore, it is considered the ancestral home of humanity. Decoding the human genome has allowed scientists to make an amazing conclusion. It turns out that all people are distant relatives. We all come from one small tribe.
6. Indicate on the map of the hemispheres in which directions humans settled the land.
Nowadays, all habitable land areas are inhabited by humans. But it was not always so. Findings of recent decades show that the areas where humans emerged as the species Homo sapiens were the eastern and central regions of Africa, Western Asia, and Southeast Europe. Subsequently, man gradually settled throughout the territory of the Earth. About 30 thousand years ago, people settled in the northern regions of Europe, Southeast and Northeast Asia, from where, during periods of sharp expansion of glaciers, they penetrated into the New World, Australia and New Guinea. About 10 thousand years ago, having crossed all of America, man reached Tierra del Fuego.
7. Define the concept of “race”.
Race is a historically established human population, distinguished by certain biological characteristics that manifest themselves externally: eye shape, skin color, hair structure, and so on. Traditionally, humanity is divided into three main races: Mongoloid, Caucasian and Negroid.
), the lower part of the atmosphere (troposphere, stratosphere), the entire hydrosphere and biosphere, as well as the anthroposphere - penetrate each other and are in close interaction. There is a continuous exchange of matter and energy between them.
The upper boundary of the geographic envelope is drawn in the stratosphere, slightly below the layer of maximum ozone concentration at an altitude of approximately 25 km. This boundary part of the atmosphere is characterized by the main property of GO - the interpenetration of components, and also the basic law of the shell is expressed - the law of geographic zoning. This law reflects the division of land and oceans into natural zones, which are regularly repeated in both hemispheres; the change in zones is mainly due to the nature of the distribution of solar energy across latitudes and uneven moisture. The lower boundary of the geographic shell in the upper part of the lithosphere (500-800 m.)
GO has a number of regularities. In addition to zonality, there is integrity (unity), due to the close interconnection of the constituent components. Changing one component leads to changes in others. Rhythm - repeatability of natural phenomena, daily and annual. Altitudinal zonation is a natural change in natural conditions with ascent to the mountains. Caused by climate change with altitude, a decrease in air temperature, its density, pressure, an increase in solar radiation, as well as cloudiness and annual precipitation. The geographical envelope is the object of study of geography and its branch sciences.
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Terminology
Despite criticism of the term geographic envelope and the difficulties of its definition, it is actively used in geography. [ Where?]
The idea of the geographical shell as the “outer sphere of the earth” was introduced by the Russian meteorologist and geographer P. I. Brounov (). The modern concept was developed and introduced into the system of geographical sciences by A. A. Grigoriev (). The history of the concept and controversial issues are most successfully discussed in the works of I. M. Zabelin.
Concepts similar to the concept of the geographical envelope also exist in foreign geographical literature ( earth's shell A. Getner and R. Hartshorn, geosphere G. Karol, etc.). However, there the geographical envelope is usually considered not as a natural system, but as a set of natural and social phenomena.
There are other earthly shells at the boundaries of the connection of different geospheres.
Components of the geographic envelope
Earth's crust
The earth's crust is the upper part of solid earth. It is separated from the mantle by a boundary with a sharp increase in seismic wave velocities - the Mohorovicic boundary. The thickness of the crust ranges from 6 km under the ocean to 30-50 km on the continents. There are two types of crust - continental and oceanic. In the structure of the continental crust, three geological layers are distinguished: sedimentary cover, granite and basalt. The oceanic crust is composed predominantly of basic rocks, plus sedimentary cover. The earth's crust is divided into lithospheric plates of different sizes, moving relative to each other. The kinematics of these movements is described by plate tectonics.
Troposphere
Its upper limit is at an altitude of 8-10 km in polar, 10-12 km in temperate and 16-18 km in tropical latitudes; lower in winter than in summer. The lower, main layer of the atmosphere. Contains more than 80% of the total mass of atmospheric air and about 90% of all water vapor present in the atmosphere. Turbulence and convection are highly developed in the troposphere, clouds appear, and cyclones and anticyclones develop. Temperature decreases with increasing altitude with an average vertical gradient of 1°/152 m
The following are accepted as “normal conditions” at the Earth’s surface: density 1.2 kg/m3, barometric pressure 101.34 kPa, temperature plus 20 °C and relative humidity 50%. These conditional indicators have purely engineering significance.
Stratosphere
The upper limit is at an altitude of 50-55 km. The temperature increases with increasing altitude to a level of about 0 °C. Low turbulence, negligible water vapor content, increased ozone content compared to the lower and overlying layers (maximum ozone concentration at altitudes of 20-25 km).
They penetrate each other and are in close interaction. There is a continuous exchange of matter and energy between them.
The upper boundary of the geographic envelope is drawn along the stratopause, since before this boundary the thermal effect of the earth's surface on atmospheric processes is felt; the boundary of the geographic shell in the lithosphere is often combined with the lower limit of the hypergenesis region (sometimes the base of the stratisphere, the average depth of seismic or volcanic sources, the base of the earth's crust, and the level of zero annual temperature amplitudes are taken as the lower boundary of the geographic shell). The geographic envelope completely covers the hydrosphere, descending in the ocean 10-11 km below sea level, the upper zone of the earth's crust and the lower part of the atmosphere (25-30 km thick layer). The greatest thickness of the geographical shell is close to 40 km. The geographical envelope is the object of study of geography and its branch sciences.
Terminology
Despite criticism of the term “geographical envelope” and the difficulties in defining it, it is actively used in geography and is one of the main concepts in Russian geography.
The idea of the geographical shell as the “outer sphere of the earth” was introduced by the Russian meteorologist and geographer P. I. Brounov (). The modern concept was developed and introduced into the system of geographical sciences by A. A. Grigoriev (). The history of the concept and controversial issues are most successfully discussed in the works of I. M. Zabelin.
Concepts similar to the concept of the geographical envelope also exist in foreign geographical literature ( earth's shell A. Getner and R. Hartshorn, geosphere G. Karol, etc.). However, there the geographical envelope is usually considered not as a natural system, but as a set of natural and social phenomena.
There are other earthly shells at the boundaries of the connection of different geospheres.
Components of the geographic envelope
Earth's crust
The earth's crust is the upper part of solid earth. It is separated from the mantle by a boundary with a sharp increase in seismic wave velocities - the Mohorovicic boundary. The thickness of the crust ranges from 6 km under the ocean to 30-50 km on the continents. There are two types of crust - continental and oceanic. In the structure of the continental crust, three geological layers are distinguished: sedimentary cover, granite and basalt. The oceanic crust is composed predominantly of basic rocks, plus sedimentary cover. The earth's crust is divided into lithospheric plates of different sizes, moving relative to each other. The kinematics of these movements is described by plate tectonics.
Troposphere
Its upper limit is at an altitude of 8-10 km in polar, 10-12 km in temperate and 16-18 km in tropical latitudes; lower in winter than in summer. The lower, main layer of the atmosphere. Contains more than 80% of the total mass of atmospheric air and about 90% of all water vapor present in the atmosphere. Turbulence and convection are highly developed in the troposphere, clouds appear, and cyclones and anticyclones develop. Temperature decreases with increasing altitude with an average vertical gradient of 0.65°/100 m
The following are accepted as “normal conditions” at the Earth’s surface: density 1.2 kg/m3, barometric pressure 101.34 kPa, temperature plus 20 °C and relative humidity 50%. These conditional indicators have purely engineering significance.
Stratosphere
The upper limit is at an altitude of 50-55 km. The temperature increases with increasing altitude to a level of about 0 °C. Low turbulence, negligible water vapor content, increased ozone content compared to the lower and overlying layers (maximum ozone concentration at altitudes of 20-25 km).
Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere is the totality of all the Earth's water reserves. Most of the water is concentrated in the ocean, much less in the continental river network and groundwater. There are also large reserves of water in the atmosphere, in the form of clouds and water vapor.
Some of the water is in a solid state in the form of glaciers, snow cover, and permafrost, making up the cryosphere.
Biosphere
The biosphere is a collection of parts of the earth's shells (litho-, hydro- and atmosphere), which is populated by living organisms, is under their influence and is occupied by the products of their vital activity.
Anthroposphere (Noosphere)
The anthroposphere or noosphere is the sphere of interaction between man and nature. Not recognized by all scientists.
Notes
Literature
- Brounov P.I. Course of physical geography, St. Petersburg, 1917.
- Grigoriev A. A. Experience in analytical characterization of the composition and structure of the physical-geographical shell of the globe, L.-M., 1937.
- Grigoriev A. A. Patterns of the structure and development of the geographical environment, M., 1966.
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See what “Geographical envelope” is in other dictionaries:
GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT Modern encyclopedia
Geographical envelope- Earth (landscape shell), the sphere of interpenetration and interaction of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. It has a complex spatial structure. The vertical thickness of the geographic shell is tens of kilometers. Natural processes in... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
geographic envelope- A complex natural complex in which the upper part of the lithosphere, the entire hydrosphere, the lower layers of the atmosphere and all living matter on Earth (biosphere) touch, mutually penetrate and interact, serves as the main object of study of physical... ... Dictionary of Geography
geographic envelope- Earth (landscape shell), the sphere of interpenetration and interaction of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. Has complex spatial differentiation. The vertical thickness of the geographic shell is tens of kilometers. Integrity... encyclopedic Dictionary
geographic envelope- the shell of the Earth, including the earth's crust, hydrosphere, lower atmosphere, soil cover and the entire biosphere. The term was introduced by academician A. A. Grigoriev. The upper boundary of the geographic envelope is located in the atmosphere at a height. 20–25 km below... ... Geographical encyclopedia
Geographical envelope- landscape shell, epigeosphere, shell of the Earth in which the lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Biosphere touch and interact. It is characterized by a complex composition and structure. The upper limit of the G. region. it is advisable to carry out... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT- (landscape shell), the shell of the Earth, covering the lower. layers of the atmosphere, surface layers of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. Naib. thickness approx. 40 km. Integrity of G. o. determined by continuous energy and mass exchange between land and atmosphere... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary
GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE EARTH- (landscape shell) the sphere of interpenetration and interaction of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. Has complex spatial differentiation. The vertical thickness of the geographic shell is tens of kilometers. Integrity... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
geographical envelope of the Earth- The landscape shell of the Earth, within which the lower layers of the atmosphere, near-surface layers of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere touch, penetrate each other and interact. Includes the entire biosphere and hydrosphere; in the lithosphere covers... ... Technical Translator's Guide
The largest natural complex of the Earth is the geographical envelope. It includes the lithosphere and atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, which interact with each other. Thanks to this, an active circulation of energy and substances occurs in nature. Each shell - gas, mineral, living and water - has its own laws of development and existence.
Basic patterns of the geographical envelope:
- geographical zoning;
- the integrity and interconnection of all parts of the shell of the globe;
- rhythmicity – repetition of daily and annual natural phenomena.
Earth's crust
The solid part of the earth, containing rocks, sediment and minerals, is one of the components of the geographical envelope. It contains more than ninety chemical elements that are unevenly distributed over the entire surface of the planet. Iron, magnesium, calcium, aluminum, oxygen, sodium, and potassium make up the majority of all rocks in the lithosphere. They are formed in various ways: under the influence of temperature and pressure, during the redeposition of weathering products and the vital activity of organisms, in the thickness of the earth and during sedimentation from water. There are two types of earth's crust - oceanic and continental, which differ from each other in rock composition and temperature.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is the most important component of the geographical envelope. It affects the weather and climate, the hydrosphere, the world of flora and fauna. The atmosphere is also divided into several layers, and the geographical envelope includes the troposphere and stratosphere. These layers contain oxygen, which is required for the life cycles of different spheres on the planet. In addition, the atmosphere layer protects the earth's surface from the ultraviolet rays of the Sun.
Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere is the water surface of the earth, which consists of groundwater, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. The main part of the Earth's water resources is concentrated in the ocean, and the rest is on the continents. The hydrosphere also includes water vapor and clouds. In addition, permafrost, snow and ice cover are also part of the hydrosphere.
Biosphere and anthroposphere
The biosphere is a multi-shell of the planet, which includes the world of flora and fauna, hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere, which interact with each other. A change in one of the components of the biosphere leads to significant changes in the entire ecosystem of the planet. The geographical envelope of the earth can also include the anthroposphere - the sphere in which people and nature interact.