THE THEORY OF ISOSTASY 



HARMON LEWIS 



University of Wisconsin 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

 Section I. Introduction 

 General 

 Definitions 



Section II. The Geodetic Work of John F. Hayford 

 Brief Description of His Work and Methods 

 Criticism of Hayford's Work 



Criticism of method of finding degree of completeness of compensation 



Criticism of C-solution 

 Further Considerations 



Possibilities of an incomplete compensation 



Changes in formulae required by shallow depth of compensation 

 Summary 



Section III. The Theory of Isostasy 

 Introductory 



Type of deformation postulated in the theory of isostasy 

 Lines of criticism of isostasy 

 Facts not Accounted for by the Type of Deformation Postulated in the 

 Theory of Isostasy 



The theory of isostasy as conceived in this paper does not adequately 



account for the folding of rocks of the earth's crust 

 The theory of isostasy cannot account for the general uplift of sedi- 

 ments without folding 

 The theory of isostasy does not explain the apparently heterogeneous 

 relation of uplift and subsidence to erosion and deposition 

 Alternative Hypotheses to Account for Hayford's Geodetic Results 



The tendency of lateral compression to produce isostatic compensa- 

 tion 

 The automatic compensation of uplifts and subsidences due to expan- 

 sion and contraction 



Section IV. Summary of Conclusions 



