Plate TectonicsThis comprehensive text has established itself over the past 20 years as the definitive work in its fields, presenting a thorough coverage of this key area of structural geology in a way which is ideally suited to advanced undergraduate and masters courses. The thorough coverage means that it is also useful to a wider readership as an up to date survey of plate tectonics.The fourth edition brings the text fully up to date, with coverage of the latest research in crustal evolution, supercontinents, mass extinctions. A new chapter covers the feedbacks of various Earth systems. In addition, a new appendix provides a valuable survey of current methodology. |
Contents
Chapter 2 The Earths crust | 36 |
Chapter 3 Tectonic settings | 69 |
Chapter 4 The Earths mantle and core | 110 |
Chapter 5 Crustal and mantle evolution | 144 |
Chapter 6 The atmosphere oceans climates and life | 181 |
Chapter 7 Comparative planetary evolution | 228 |
| 259 | |
| 279 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accretion Africa America amounts anomalies appear Archean areas atmosphere average basalts base basins belt beneath boundary carbonates caused cent changes chemical chiefly collision components composition continental crust continents convection cooling core cratons crustal decrease depleted deposits depths distribution early Earth elements evidence evolution faults field Figure flow formation formed greenstone growth heat hotspots impact important increase indicate iron isotopic known komatiites Late later layer lithosphere lower mafic magma magnetic major mantle marine melting mineral Moon North occur ocean ridges oceanic crust ophiolites organic origin orogens planetary planets plate plumes possible probably produced Proterozoic provinces range ratio record reflect region relatively rifts rocks sediments seismic shield similar slabs Solar sources South stages studies subduction submarine suggest supercontinent surface tectonic temperature terranes thick tion types upper velocities volcanic zones
Popular passages
Page 271 - Nutman, AP, McGregor, VR, Friend, CRL, Bennett, VC, and Kinny, PD, 1996, The Itsaq Gneiss Complex of southern west Greenland; the world's most extensive record of early crustal evolution...
Page 271 - DePaolo, DJ, 1985. Rapid production of continental crust 1.7 to 1.9 by ago: Nd isotopic evidence from the basement of the North American midcontinent.
Page 266 - Hart, SR (1988). Heterogeneous mantle domains: signatures, genesis and mixing chronologies. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 90, 273-96.
Page 259 - Allegre, CJ, Bre'vart, O., Dupre, B. & Minster, J.-F. Isotopic and chemical effects produced in a continuously differentiating convecting Earth mantle (Discussion).
Page 272 - Poli S. and Schmidt MW (1995) H2O Transport and release in subduction zones: experimental constraints on basaltic and andesitic systems. J. Geophys. Res. 100, 22299-22314.
References to this book
Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization Vaclav Smil No preview available - 2000 |