DIASTROPHISM AND THE FORMATIVE PROCESSES 13 



bodies in all probability contain the larger proportion of light 

 atoms and molecules and that the shrinkage figures of Table II 

 will need to be somewhat increased to satisfy the natural intimations 

 of the laws of planetary organization. For the moment, however, 

 let us regard these prospective increments merely as a measure of 

 assurance that we will be forming first impressions on conservative 

 grounds if we tentatively review the results as they stand. If this 

 review shall raise any questions as to the validity of the results 

 deduced these questions will serve to give piquancy to the deferred 

 discussion. 



TABLE II* 



* The parity-earths may be derived either from the relative densities or the relative masses. The 

 results, however, are not strictly identical in all cases, doubtless because the figures adopted are the 

 weighted means of different methods of determining the masses and densities and these thus lose strict 

 consistency with one another. The differences are not enough seriously to a£fe:t the order of magnitude 

 of the shrinkage results. 



PROVISIONAL DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS 



On first thought it may seem that the observed densities of the 

 four bodies compared can be easily accounted for by assigning such 

 specific gravities as are requisite to the material that entered into 

 their formation. Thus the computed amounts of shrinkage may 

 seem to be avoided. If it is legitimate to make purely arbitrary 

 assignments in neglect of the laws of cosmic organization under such 

 hypotheses of genesis as are tenable, no doubt this might be done. 

 But in a naturalistic inquiry that tries to be thoroughly loyal to 

 cosmic laws, so far as the inquirer knows them or can find them 

 out, arbitrary assignments have little or no place. We are here 

 deaHng with highly composite results, the products of natural 

 processes of organization. Each of the four bodies is believed to 

 have been formed by a multitude of accessions brought together by 

 forces of like types, acting under similar conditions and surrounded 



