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Concept of Isostasy

1. The theory of isostasy proposes that different surface features like mountains and oceans are in equilibrium because their mass is counterbalanced from below. 2. Two early theories were proposed by Airy and Pratt - Airy suggested uniform crust density but varying thickness, while Pratt proposed uniform depth but varying density between features. 3. Heiskanen combined these ideas, proposing that density varies both within and between crustal columns, increasing downward and differing between features. This combined model is still widely accepted today.

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2K views3 pages

Concept of Isostasy

1. The theory of isostasy proposes that different surface features like mountains and oceans are in equilibrium because their mass is counterbalanced from below. 2. Two early theories were proposed by Airy and Pratt - Airy suggested uniform crust density but varying thickness, while Pratt proposed uniform depth but varying density between features. 3. Heiskanen combined these ideas, proposing that density varies both within and between crustal columns, increasing downward and differing between features. This combined model is still widely accepted today.

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THEORY OF ISOSTSY

Different relief features of varying magnitudes e.g. mountains, plateau, plains, lakes, seas and
oceans etc. standing on the earth’s surface probably balanced by certain definite principle,
otherwise these would have not been maintained in their present form. Thus ‘isostasy simply
means a mechanical stability between the upstanding parts and low-lying basins on a rotating
earth’.

The word isostasy, derived from a German word ‘isostasios (equipoise or in


balance),was first proposed by American geologist Dutton in 1859 to express his view to
indicate ‘the state of balance which must exist between large upstanding areas of the earth’s
surface, mountain ranges and plateau, and contiguous low lands, etc.’ According to Dutton
the upstanding parts of the earth (mountains, plateau, plains and ocean basins) must be
compensated ( adjust ) by lighter rock material from beneath so that the crustal reliefs should
remain in mechanical stability. According to J.A. Steers ‘this theory states that whatever
equilibrium exists on the earth’s surface, equal mass must underlie equal surface areas.

The term Isostasy is used in geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium
between the earth’s lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the the segments of lithosphere
“float” at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. It was therefore suggested
on this basis that ‘bigger the column, lesser the density, and smaller the column, greater the
density.’

The theory of Isostasy was conceptualized to explain that a mass above sea level is
supported below sea level, and there is a certain depth at which the total weight per unit area is
equal all around the Earth; this is known as depth of compensation. The existence of isostatic
movements and other types of vertical movement affecting the crust shows that lateral flow
must be able to occur in the relatively weak region below the depth of compensation, which is
commonly asthenosphere. The overlying strong lithosphere must reach isostatic equilibrium
either by elastic bending or by combination of fracture and flow.

Theories of Isostasty;

Two systems of density distribution were set forth by Airy and Prattin 1855. These two
theories have been modified very little since their presentation, and their relative merits are still
debated. A third type of theory was put forward by Heiskanen.

Airy’s Theory

Sir George Biddell Airy, an English mathematician and astronomer, his hypothesis
(1855) assumed that the crust of relatively lighter material (low density) is floating in the
substratum of denser material (high density). The crust and substratum are each assumed to
have uniform density throughout. But the thickness of the crustal layer is not uniform. This
theory supposes that the thicker parts of the crust sink deeper into the substratum, while the
thinner parts are buoyed up by it. According to this theory, mountains have roots below the
surface that are much larger than their surface
expression, like an iceberg floating on water,in
which the greater part of the iceberg is
underwater. The low of floatation demands that
the ratio of freeboard to draught is 1 to 9. Airy
postulated that ‘if the land column above the
substratum is larger, its greater part would be
submerged in the substratum and if the land
column is lower, its smaller part would be
submerged in the substratum. According to Airy
the density of different columns of the land
remains same, i.e. density does not change with
depth that is ‘uniform density with varying
thickness.’ This means that the continents are made up of rocks having uniform density but
their thickness or length varies from place to place.

Limitations of Airy

1. Applying the laws of floatation to Airy implies that Himalayas must be more deeper
than the depth of the lithosphere, which is questionable.
2. The different crustal features like mountain ,plains or plateaus cannot have the same
density. The ocean crust has the highest density, followed by plateaus and
mountains have the lowest density.

Pratt’s Theory;

The Pratt theory, developed by John Henry Pratt,


English mathematician supposed that there is a
depth of compensation above which there is a
variation in the density of different columns of
land but there is no change in density below this
level. Density does not change within one
column but it changes from one column to other
columns above the level of compensation, so that
‘uniform depth with varying density.’ Thus,
this concept was related to the ‘law of
compensation’. According to Pratt different
relief features are standing only because of their respective mass is equal along the line of
compensation because of their varying densities.

Seismic studies indicate that more dense material underlies ocean basins than continents, these
observations support pratt’s assumption of a connection between density and elevation.
Heiskenen theory;

Heiskenen presented a new concept of isostasy in 1933 in


which he combined the concepts of both Airy (uniform
density with varying thickness) and Pratt (varying density in
different columns). According to him density of rocks varies
within the column (section of the earth) and between the
columns, e.g. rocks of a column at sea level have higher
density than at higher elevation of the same column, which
means that downward rocks of a column of the earth’s crust
become denser i.e. density increases downward. Similarly,
density of rocks of different sections (columns) of the earth’s
crust also varies. Thus, it appears that density of rocks
varies both vertically and horizontally.

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