all you wanted to know about the gaia theory pietro paolo bertagnolio 23 january 2008 proseminar...

All You Wanted To Know About The Gaia Theory

All You Wanted To Know About The Gaia Theory

Pietro Paolo Bertagnolio

23 January 2008

Proseminar Presentation Techniques

Pietro Paolo Bertagnolio

23 January 2008

Proseminar Presentation Techniques

PEP WS 07/08PEP WS 07/08 All You Wanted To Know About GaiaAll You Wanted To Know About Gaia

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Gaia is NOT (only) a goddess.Gaia is NOT (only) a goddess.

FACTS: Chemical Disequilibrium, Time Records, Daisyworld

FACTS: Chemical Disequilibrium, Time Records, Daisyworld

HYPOTHESIS: “The Earth System actively (Gaia Hypothesis) self-regulates.”HYPOTHESIS: “The Earth System actively (Gaia Hypothesis) self-regulates.”

PARADIGM: “The Earth is like(Gaia Theory) a living being.” PARADIGM: “The Earth is like(Gaia Theory) a living being.”

RESEARCH: Feedback loops, (Geophysiology) Self-regulation mechanismsRESEARCH: Feedback loops, (Geophysiology) Self-regulation mechanisms


33

The History of GaiaThe History of Gaia

• 1785: James Hutton (the “father of geology”) the Earth as a superorganism.

• 1927: Vladimir Vernadskythe biosphere drives geological evolution.

• 1966: Lynn Margulis the cells are communities of once-

independent microorganisms (endosymbiosis)• 1979: James Lovelock

“Gaia: A new look at life on Earth”.

• 1785: James Hutton (the “father of geology”) the Earth as a superorganism.

• 1927: Vladimir Vernadskythe biosphere drives geological evolution.

• 1966: Lynn Margulis the cells are communities of once-

independent microorganisms (endosymbiosis)• 1979: James Lovelock

“Gaia: A new look at life on Earth”.


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55


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From Lovelock (1990)

Living planets, dead planetsLiving planets, dead planets

Venus Earth Mars

CO2 96.5% 0.03% 95%

N2 3.5% 79% 2.7%

O2 trace 21% 0.13%

CH4 0.0 1.7 ppb 0.0


77

What do they have in common?What do they have in common?

• Defined boundary:Atmosphere

• Constant properties:– Oxygen conc.– Ocean salinity– Surface temperature

• Defined boundary:Atmosphere

• Constant properties:– Oxygen conc.– Ocean salinity– Surface temperature

• Defined boundary:Membrane

• Constant properties:– pH– Osmotic pressure– Ionic charge

• Defined boundary:Membrane

• Constant properties:– pH– Osmotic pressure– Ionic charge

HOMEOSTASIS


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Homeostasis and DaisyworldHomeostasis and Daisyworld

€

˙ T = S 1−α planet( ) − ˜ σ T 4

˙ F white = −DFwhite + G T( )FwhiteFfree

˙ F black = −DFblack + G T( )FblackFfree

α planet = α whiteFwhite + α blackFblack + α freeFfree

€

˙ T = S 1−α planet( ) − ˜ σ T 4

˙ F white = −DFwhite + G T( )FwhiteFfree

˙ F black = −DFblack + G T( )FblackFfree

α planet = α whiteFwhite + α blackFblack + α freeFfree

Daisy Growth G(T)

Temperature

Growth

From Olbers (2001)


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Homeostasis and DaisyworldHomeostasis and Daisyworld

From Lenton (1998)


1010

Homeostasis and EarthHomeostasis and Earth

O2 and CH4 are produced by bacterial metabolism.Could these be the Earth’s “daisies”?

From Lovelock (1990)


1111

Definition of ParadigmDefinition of Paradigm

Scientists develop problems, theories, models and experiments in a given

frame, called paradigm.

Thomas S. Kuhn(1922 - 1996)

Thomas S. Kuhn(1922 - 1996)

At the core of each paradigm there is often an analogy.

From Kuhn (1962)


1212

Examples of Paradigm (1)Examples of Paradigm (1)

The universe

≈is like Earth-centered spheresSun-centered spheresan infinite space


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a quantum wavefunction

Examples of Paradigm (2)Examples of Paradigm (2)

Light

≈is like microscopic particlesmicroscopic waves


1414

an electronic circuita living being

Gaia as a paradigmGaia as a paradigm

The Earth system

≈is like


1515

DMS cycle: Main charactersDMS cycle: Main characters

Phytoplankton Clouds

Dimethylsulfonio propionate

Dimethylsulfide (DMS)


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DMS cycle: CLAWDMS cycle: CLAW

From Charlson et al. (1987)


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DMS cycle: Anti-CLAWDMS cycle: Anti-CLAW

From Charlson et al. (1987)


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SummarySummary

• Lovelock speculates that the Earth system could have some self-regulating mechanisms. (Gaia hypothesis)

• This leads to investigate the Earth system as it was a living organism. (Geophysiological paradigm)

• New research has been stimulated by this new way to look at the Earth. (DMS cycle - CLAW hypothesis)

• Lovelock speculates that the Earth system could have some self-regulating mechanisms. (Gaia hypothesis)

• This leads to investigate the Earth system as it was a living organism. (Geophysiological paradigm)

• New research has been stimulated by this new way to look at the Earth. (DMS cycle - CLAW hypothesis)


1919

That‘s all, folks!That‘s all, folks!

References:

• Charlson, R. J., Lovelock, J. E., Andreae, M. O., and Warren, S. G., (1987), Oceanic phytoplankton, atmospheric sulphur, cloud albedo and climate. Nature 326, 655-661.

• Kuhn, T. S. (1968), The structure of scientific revolutions, University of Chicago Press.

• Lenton, T. M. (1998), Gaia and natural selection, Nature 394, 439-447.

• Lovelock, J. E. (1990),The Ages of Gaia, Bantam Books.

• Olbers, D. (2001), A gallery of simple models from climate physics, Stochastic Climate Models, Progress in Probability, 49, 3-36.

References:

• Charlson, R. J., Lovelock, J. E., Andreae, M. O., and Warren, S. G., (1987), Oceanic phytoplankton, atmospheric sulphur, cloud albedo and climate. Nature 326, 655-661.

• Kuhn, T. S. (1968), The structure of scientific revolutions, University of Chicago Press.

• Lenton, T. M. (1998), Gaia and natural selection, Nature 394, 439-447.

• Lovelock, J. E. (1990),The Ages of Gaia, Bantam Books.

• Olbers, D. (2001), A gallery of simple models from climate physics, Stochastic Climate Models, Progress in Probability, 49, 3-36.

all you wanted to know about the gaia theory pietro paolo bertagnolio 23 january 2008 proseminar...

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