Article ID: CBB343004263

Darwin the Geologist in Southern South America (2016)

unapi

Charles Darwin was a reputable geologist before he achieved biological fame. Most of his geological research was accomplished in southern South America during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle (1831–1836). Afterward he published four books and several articles about geology and coral atolls and became active in the Geological Society of London. We have followed Darwin's footsteps during our own researches and have been very impressed with his keen observations and inferences. He made some mistakes, however, such as appealing to iceberg rafting to explain erratic boulders and to inundations of the sea to carve valleys. Darwin prepared an important hand-colored geological map of southern South America, which for unknown reasons he did not publish. The distributions of seven map units are shown. These were described in his books wherein he also documented multiple elevated marine terraces on both coasts of South America. While exploring the Andean Cordillera in central Chile and Argentina, he discovered two fossil forests. Darwin developed a tectonic theory involving vertical uplift of the entire continent, which was greatest in the Andes where magma leaked up from a hypothetical subterranean sea of magma to form volcanoes and earthquakes. The theory had little impact and was soon eclipsed by theories involving lateral compression of strata. His and other contemporary theories suffered from a lack of knowledge about the earth's interior. Finally with modern plate tectonic theory involving intense lateral compression across the Andean Cordillera we can explain satisfactorily the geology so carefully documented by Darwin.

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Authors & Contributors
Yannielli, Joseph L.
Grant, Peter R.
Robert Ready
Michael Dee
Melcher, Lillian
Chetty, Suryakanthie
Concepts
Scientific expeditions
Travel; exploration
Geology
Evolution
Biographies
Geography
Time Periods
19th century
20th century, early
18th century
Places
South America
Galapagos Islands
England
Germany
Great Britain
Arctic regions
Institutions
Beagle (ship)
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