Neptunism

The Neptunism (or Diluvianismus ) is an outdated geological intuition, according to which all rocks are sedimentary rocks, that is, have been deposited from the water of the oceans. The Neptunism was by Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1814), according to studies on disc mountain (1787 /88) developed and is contrary to the teaching of plutonism (also: volcanism ).

Description

The theory is a classification of the rock groups based in four main ways. The classification includes the following basic units:

• The primordial mountain style, and include: granite, gneiss, mica schist, slate, porphyry, quartz ( the current name is quartzite ), serpentinite and basalt to 1788
• The seam - mountain style, ( Flözkalk, sandstone, greywacke, chalk, rock salt, gypsum and basalt from 1788 )
• The volcanic mountain type ( pumice, tuff, volcanic ash and lava)
• And the puffy kind of rock (soap, bog iron ).

This smooth transitions from one to the other rock group are possible.

The term " primordial " indicates that these rocks represent the earliest and most primitive formations on the earth body. From a primeval ocean with steadily decreasing sea level these primitive rocks crystallize by chemical precipitates out first. Since they are exposed to erosion by wind and surface water, which is causing a vertical thickness decreased. These ancient mountains emerged at a time when there was no life on the earth, so are never fossils contained in these rock units. The "rest of the 3 main types " are successively deposited in the foreland and may partly consist almost entirely of the reclaimed material of the first unit. They are thus the " primordial " simulated time. This means they are geologically younger. Through the further sustained regression of the sea, these rocks are now open on the mainland and are themselves subject to erosion. As instigator and driving this ongoing sea level decrease evaporation processes are mainly considered. An unsolved problem of Neptunism provided the genesis of the volcanic mountain species dar. So suspected Werner, volcanism going through underground but coal fires caused. these phenomena with only a local importance has been attached.

This hypothesis was particularly repelled by Alexander von Humboldt in the early 19th century. Humboldt during his Latin American expedition had collected numerous geognostical data that contradicted the Neptunism. However, he held firm to the end of his journey on the neptunistischen interpretation of his teacher Werner. It was not until 1826 Humboldt known in the lecture "On the construction and mode of action of the volcanoes in the various regions of the earth " publicly competing theory of plutonism. Humboldt was about to prove that include porphyry and basalt volcanic origin and therefore volcanic rock.

The followers of Neptunism hot Neptunists. These included, among others, Johan Gottschalk Wallerius, Torben Olof Bergman, Novalis and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Goethe changed .. However, later, in the wake of reports about volcanoes by Alexander von Humboldt his followers to Werner.

The two opposing doctrines presented for the 18th century each metaphors for the Revolution ( plutonism ) and the conservative idea ( Neptunism ) dar.