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Darwin’s Reports on Catastrophic Natural Phenomena and Modern Science: Topographic Effect and Local Circumstances

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Darwin, Geodynamics and Extreme Waves

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Abstract

Earthquakes, eruptions of volcanoes, connection of seismic and volcanic processes – all these phenomena stand among Darwin’s most strong impressions during the round-world voyage of the Beagle. He saw the powerful forces which had been, for a long time, changing the surface of the Earth. Darwin thought over these processes and their connections, and that led to his reflection in the books (Darwin, Journal of researches into the geology and natural history of the various countries visited by H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of Captain FitzRoy, R.N. from 1832 to 1836. Henry Colburn, London, 1839; Darwin, Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle around the world, under the command of Captain Fitz Roy, R N. T Nelson and Sons, London, 1890; Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagle’s circumnavigation of the globe. Henry Colburn, London, 1839. Vol 2. Proceedings of the second expedition, 1831–1836, under the command of Captain Robert Fitz-Roy, R N) and his large article (Darwin, On the connexion of certain volcanic phenomena in South America; and on the formation of mountain chains and volcanoes, as the effect of the same power by which continents are elevated. (Read March 7, 1838) In: Barrett PH (ed) (1977) The Collected Papers of Charles Darwin. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago; 1840).

Local effects of great earthquakes can be determined by three main factors: distance from the earthquake source, travel path of seismic waves from the source to a particular location, and local site conditions (Darwin, On the connexion of certain volcanic phenomena in South America; and on the formation of mountain chains and volcanoes, as the effect of the same power by which continents are elevated. (Read March 7, 1838) In: Barrett PH (ed) (1977) The Collected Papers of Charles Darwin. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago; 1840; Reiter, Earthquake hazard analysis. Columbia University Press, New York, 1990; Robinson, Earth shock. Thames and Hudson, London, 1993). Darwin saw personally only some results of the strong earthquake. Apparently, Darwin observed results of local amplification of the earthquake-induced ground motion.

…a vast majority of the volcanoes now in action stand either near sea-coasts or as islands in the midst of the sea … the great continents are for the most part rising areas; and from the nature of the coral-reefs, that the central parts of the great oceans are sinking areas … it would appear that volcanoes burst forth into action and become extinguished on the same spots, according as elevatory or subsiding movements prevail there … (Charles Darwin. Journal of Researches. 1890, London, pp. 22, 574 and 575).

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    Sh. U. Galiev

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Galiev, S.U. (2015). Darwin’s Reports on Catastrophic Natural Phenomena and Modern Science: Topographic Effect and Local Circumstances. In: Darwin, Geodynamics and Extreme Waves. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16994-1_4

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