Historical geology and palaeogeology Books

Book SynopsisA beautiful little guide to one of life's simple pleasures – pebble spotting. Where science meets mindfulness. Learn to appreciate their beauty, discover the amazing journey that brought them to you, search for the rare ones. Leave no stone unturned. Turn a day on the beach or a seaside holiday stroll into a treasure hunt with this lovely little guide to identifying pebbles. Pebble spotting is one of life’s simple joys. There’s nothing quite like searching the rocks on a beach until that special one catches your eye – a perfect shape, a gorgeous colour, an intriguing pattern. But what is it? Use this beautifully illustrated little guide to find out, and to discover your pebble’s fascinating life story and secrets. It could be even more special than you thought… Geologist and passionate pebble spotter Clive Mitchell has created a charming and wonderfully browsable book that is a perfect companion to a day out or holiday, or an idle moment at home. This book contains entries on 40 different types of pebble, complete with detailed facts about the composite rock’s structure and where to find them, with examples including: Flint Feldspar veins Spotted slates Serpentinite Granite ovoids The rare rhomb porphyry – the holy grail of pebble hunting The book includes a space to ruminate on your own findings, taking note of the treasures that you pick up along the way and discovering the secrets of the stones beneath your feet. The Pebble Spotter’s Guide is the perfect introduction to everything you didn’t know there was to know about the mindful pleasure of pebble spotting and the wonder of pebbles. Simply sit on a beach or next to a stream for 10 minutes and find amazing treasures at your feet; there is much to discover.Trade Review"A beautifully illustrated and very interesting little guide." - Tristan Gooley

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the ASLI Choice Award, Atmospheric Science Librarians International""Winner of the PROSE Award in Earth Science, Association of American Publishers""Winner of the Special Book Award, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards""Winner of the Award of Excellence in Plants and Environmental Change, Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries""A detailed and authoritative account that reveals the rich and fascinating story of this unique landscape and its climate, geology and natural history. . . . Williams’s book offers a wonderful insight into how climate can transform the landscape across long stretches of time, as well as how delicately balanced are the ecosystems on which we depend."---P. D. Smith, The Guardian"This vivid historical survey by Earth scientist Martin Williams is the result of a lifetime’s work."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"Fascinating. . . . Engrossing. . . . When the Sahara Was Green covers the cyclical, gradual desiccation of the Sahara, the changing of its biomes, the nature of its current occupants, and even the question of its future. It’s formidably researched . . . but so warmly, approachably written that learning was never so pleasant."---Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Review"Given Williams’s deep well of knowledge, this book could have been bogged down by technicalities and jargon. Instead, When the Sahara Was Green is admirably accessible to a broad audience with only basic knowledge of geography and earth sciences. Furthermore, the book stands out for the numerous clear and well-designed illustrations that explain complex concepts."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist"Highly accessible . . . and filled with interesting facts about geological history."---Nicole Barbaro, Bookmarked"[A] fascinating and informative introduction to the history of the Sahara, the past and present lifeforms it hosts, and its role in the wider planetary environment . . . Read this book and spread interest in Earth’s largest desert."---Jeffery Hirschy, H-Environment

Read more less

Book SynopsisFull of wonder and forensic intelligence' Isabella Tree, author of WildingA moving account of Madagascar told by a researcher who has spent over fifty years investigating the mysteries of this remarkable island.Madagascar is a place of change. A biodiversity hotspot and the fourth largest island on the planet, it has been home to a spectacular parade of animals, from giant flightless birds and giant tortoises on the ground, to agile lemurs leaping through the treetops. Some species live on; many have vanished in the distant or recent past. Over vast stretches of time, Madagascar's forests have expanded and contracted in response to shifting climates, and the hand of people is clear in changes during the last thousand years or so. Today, Madagascar is a microcosm of global trends. What happens there in the decades ahead can, perhaps, suggest ways to help turn the tide on the environmental crisis now sweeping the world.The Sloth Lemur's Song is a far-reaching account of Madagascar's pastTrade Review‘Full of wonder and forensic intelligence, The Sloth Lemur’s Song is a love song to the astonishing evolution of Madagascar. It is a fascinating journey from the island’s origins to the complex tensions of the present day, with Alison Richard the most considerate and engaging of guides.’ Isabella Tree, author of Wilding ‘This book is an encyclopedia of wonders, but it’s also a riveting story of evolution through time in a land utterly unique. Madagascar is arguably the most amazing place on Earth. Richard knows it as few outsiders ever will, and its praises have never been better sung.’ David Quammen, author of Spillover ‘Truly mind-blowingly epic … For every adventure you need a perceptive, intelligent and compassionate guide. Ours is author Alison Richard whose life's work has been Madagascar … a tale of enchanting and endangered biodiversity’ Resurgence and Ecologist ‘[A] Masterpiece … Revelatory’ Madagascar Conservation & Development ‘Brilliant … This is simply a wonderful book. Richard tells Madagascar’s often improbable history with vivid detail and personal story based on her research, all backed up with the latest scientific thinking … You will enjoy the stories so much you may not notice that your world is expanding.’ Cool Green Science blog ‘A love story; an ode to Madagascar. Throughout, the author interweaves first-person accounts of her extensive experience as a field biologist, detailed and accurate accounts of the natural history of the island, up-to-the-minute summaries of the latest scientific studies spanning everything from botany to geology to climatology, with the binding ‘through line’ of the Malagasy people and their relationship to the landscape.’ Anne Yoder, Duke University

Read more less

Book SynopsisRevealing the incredible diversity of fossilised plants and animals preserved for millions of years, this book profiles 300 examples of the most common and fascinating fossils, using an entry by entry approach. By including examples from all of the major variety of fossilised life, from preserved trees and grasses to molluscs, trilobites, fish and dinosaurs, Fossils offers a truly comprehensive overview of fossils from every continent and gives a sense of the huge amount of natural history available to us in the fossil record. Each fossil is illustrated with a clear and informative colour photograph, accompanied by informed and accessible text. The fossilised plants and animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family (and, where necessary, within each family by subfamilies). For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, habitat, distribution, geological period and dimensions.Table of ContentsIntroduction Plants Invertebrates Vertebrates Glossary Timeline Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Isle of Skye offers a magical combination of wild land and breath-taking natural beauty. Skye's geological history involves some of the most ancient rocks on the planet; a grandstand view as the Highlands of Scotland were formed over 400 million years ago and the development of one of the mightiest volcanoes ever to blow its top. Skye is also known as Scotland's 'dinosaur island', yielding the remains of many species of plant and meat-eating creatures that stalked land some 140 million years ago. Finally, the rocks forged in earlier times were shaped into the familiar hills and glens of today by the passage of ice as a great freeze gripped the land. This book provides key information about the formation of the island and the on-going processes of natural landscape evolution that continue to leave their mark on these spectacular vistas.Trade Review'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *Table of ContentsAlan McKirdy has written many popular books and book chapters on geology and related topics and has helped to promote the study of environmental geology in schools. Before his recent retirement he was Head of Information Management at Scottish Natural Heritage.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe perfect stocking filler for beach lovers. A beautiful little guide to one of life's simple pleasures – pebble spotting. Where science meets mindfulness. Learn to appreciate their beauty, discover the amazing journey that brought them to you, search for the rare ones. Leave no stone unturned. Turn a day on the beach or a seaside holiday stroll into a treasure hunt with this lovely little guide to identifying pebbles. Pebble spotting is one of life’s simple joys. There’s nothing quite like searching the rocks on a beach until that special one catches your eye – a perfect shape, a gorgeous colour, an intriguing pattern. But what is it? Use this beautifully illustrated little guide to find out, and to discover your pebble’s fascinating life story and secrets. It could be even more special than you thought… Geologist and passionate pebble spotter Clive Mitchell has created a charming and wonderfully browsable book that is a perfect companion to a day out or holiday, or an idle moment at home. This book contains entries on 40 different types of pebble, complete with detailed facts about the composite rock’s structure and where to find them, with examples including: Flint Feldspar veins Spotted slates Serpentinite Granite ovoids The rare rhomb porphyry – the holy grail of pebble hunting The book includes a space to ruminate on your own findings, taking note of the treasures that you pick up along the way and discovering the secrets of the stones beneath your feet. The Pebble Spotter’s Guide is the perfect introduction to everything you didn’t know there was to know about the mindful pleasure of pebble spotting and the wonder of pebbles. Simply sit on a beach or next to a stream for 10 minutes and find amazing treasures at your feet; there is much to discover.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world permanently.The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive.Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘The Earth’: ‘A dazzling achievement. Richard Fortey is without peer among science writers.’ Bill Bryson ‘Books with a title this ambitious generally do not live up to their billing. This one does.’ New Scientist ‘“The Earth” is a true delight: full of awe-inspiring details…it blends travel, history, reportage and science to create an unforgettable picture of our ancient earth.’ Sunday Times ‘Read this book because it is, indeed, the best natural history of the first four billion years of life on earth.’ John Gribbin, Sunday Times Praise for ‘The Hidden Landscape’: ‘Don’t drop dead until you have read “The Hidden Landscape”.’ Jonathan Keates, Observer Praise for ‘Life: An unauthorised Biography’: ‘This is not a book for people who like science books. It is a book for people who love books, and life…[Fortey] has written a wonderful book.’ Tim Radford, Guardian

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn immersive and fascinating journey into deep time, charting the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana througha billion years of Earth's history.Gondwana' is a mystery of geological history; a lost supercontinent and a place woven into the consciousness of all who inhabit its scattered fragments. Today, the people who live in Africa, South America, India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Arabia spend their lives walking around on what's left of Gondwana. But what was life like when it was whole?The Road to Gondwanatraces the steps science took to find Gondwana, and the evolutionary journey of Gondwana itself. Our tour guide on this journey is Glossopteris an extinct tree that dominated the supercontinent for 50 million years, before vanishing in the most devastating event ever to strike life on this planet, the Permian mass extinction.Thisis a story about deep time and the challenges that face those who venture there. It's about the importance of imagination in science, and the reasons that the journey towards understanding is sometimes more important than the destination.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE PRIZE 2022 'A joyful collision of science, history and nature writing' Helen Gordon, author of Notes from Deep Time Adam Sedgwick was a priest and scholar. Roderick Murchison was a retired soldier. Charles Lapworth was a schoolteacher. It was their personal and intellectual rivalry, pursued on treks through Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Devon and parts of western Russia, that revealed the narrative structure of the Paleozoic Era, the 300-million-year period during which life on Earth became recognisably itself. Nick Davidson follows in their footsteps and draws on maps, diaries, letters, field notes and contemporary accounts to bring the ideas and characters alive. But this is more than a history of geology. As we travel through some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain, it's a celebration of the sheer visceral pleasure generations of geologists have found, and continue to find, in noticing the earth beneath our feet.Trade ReviewA colourful and joyous romp through the not-so-sedate world of mid-nineteenth-century geology -- John Wright, author * The Forager's Calendar *Engaging and persuasive ... Everyone interested in geology should know about Murchison, Sedgwick and Lapworth -- Richard Fortey, author * The Earth: An Intimate History *This is history with its boots on ... Packed with vivid stories, The Greywacke brings to life an unlikely cast of characters who changed the way we view the world -- James A. Secord, author * Visions of Science *Whether trudging down Welsh ravines, scrambling in the Lake District, covering vast distances across rural Russia or hard going amid the crags of north-west Scotland, the writing puts us there, in the field, on the ground ... A great story well told -- Andrew Greig, author * At the Loch of the Green Corrie *A joyful collision of science, history and nature writing, The Greywacke shines a light on the almost superhuman feats of endurance, the unglamorous physical realities, the many, many hours of patient labour that the science of geology is built upon. Following the work of three important nineteenth geologists as they attempt to unlock the secrets of the rocks and the mysteries of geological time, it uncovers a story of friendships, feuds, triumphs and breakdowns. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Lapworth: a beautifully clear and engaging description of the mechanics of stratigraphic work and a wonderful portrait of a scientist who deserves to be better known -- Helen Gordon, author * Notes from Deep Time *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the key works in the nineteenth-century battle between science and ScriptureCharles Lyell's Principles of Geology (1830-33) sought to explain the geological state of the modern Earth by considering the long-term effects of observable natural phenomena. Written with clarity and a dazzling intellectual passion, it is both a seminal work of modern geology and a compelling precursor to Darwinism, exploring the evidence for radical changes in climate and geography across the ages and speculating on the progressive development of life. A profound influence on Darwin, Principles of Geology also captured the imagination of contemporaries such as Melville, Emerson, Tennyson and George Eliot, transforming science with its depiction of the powerful forces that shape the natural world.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics Table of ContentsEdited with an Introduction by James A. SecordNumbers in italics refer to chapters included only as summaries or in brief extractsList of IllustrationsIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on This EditionVolume I (1830)1: Objects and Nature of Geology2-4: Historical Sketch of the Progress of Geology5: Theoretical Errors which have Retarded the Progress of Geology6: Assumed Discordance of the Ancient and Existing Causes of Change Controverted - Climate7: Climate, continued8: Climate, continued9. Theory of the Progressive Development of Organic Life10-17: Aqueous Causes18-22: Igneous Causes23-24: Earthquakes and their Effects25: Earthquakes, continued - Temple of Serapis26. Causes of Earthquakes and VolcanosVolume II (1832)1: Changes of the Organic World - Reality of Species2: Theory of the Transmutation of Species Untenable3: Limits of the Variability of Species4: Hybrids5-7: Geographical Distribution of Species8: Changes in the Animate World, which Tend to the Extinction of Species9: Changes in the Animate World, which Tend to the Extinction of Species, continued10: Changes in the Inorganic World, Tending to the Extinction of Species11: Whether the Extinction and Creation of Species Can Now be in Progress12: Modifications in Physical Geography Caused by Plants, the Inferior Animals, and Man13-16, 17: How the Remains of Man and his Works are becoming Fossil beneath the Waters18: Corals and Coral ReefsVolume III (1833)1: Methods of Theorizing in Geology2: General Arrangement of the Materials Composing the Earth's Crust3: Different Circumstances under which the Secondary and Tertiary Formations may have Originated4: Determination of the Relative Ages of Rocks5: Classification of Tertiary Formations in Chronological Order6-7: Newer Pliocene Formations - Sicily8: Rocks of the Same Age in Etna9: Origin of the Newer Pliocene Strata of Sicily10-26: Former Changes of the Earth's SurfaceConcluding RemarksGlossaryNotesBibliography of ReviewsIndex>

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the early 20th century, American earth scientists vociferously opposed the new, and highly radical, notion of continental drift. Yet 50 years later the same idea was heralded as a major scientific breakthrough, and today continental drift is accepted as a scientific fact. Why did American geologists reject so adamantly an idea that is now considered a cornerstone of the discipline? And why did they react so much more negatively than their European counterparts? This book, based primarily on archival resources, provides answers to these questions. It complements existing work on continental drift and the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics by providing the first detailed historical account of the American geological community in the 1920s. It also challenges previous historical work on this episode, much of which ascribes the rejection of continental drift to the lack of an adequate causal mechanism. Instead, the author shows that the rejection was largely based on the view thTrade ReviewOreskes's book contains much pertinent information that will be useful to those interested in the history of tectonics in the twentieth century, and she presents it lucidly, in a well-organized manner. * ISIS *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Part 1: Not the Mechanism ; 1. Two Visions of the Earth ; 2. The Collapse of Thermal Contraction ; 3. To Reconcile Historical Geolgoy with Isotasy ; 4. Drift Mechanisms in the 1920s ; 5. From Fact to Theory ; 6. The Short Step Backward ; 7. Uniformitarianism and Unity ; Part III: A Revolution in Acceptance ; 8. Direct and Indirect Evidence ; 9. An Evidentiary and Epistemic Shift ; 10. The Depersonalization of Geology ; Epilogue: Unity and Truth ; Notes ; Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisA witty, irreverent guide to the birth, development, and state-of-the-art of one of the most important theories in Earth Science. The book explains how modern plate tectonics accounts for phenomena such as great earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and how it controls conditions at the Earth's surface, including global geography and climate.Trade ReviewThis book is full of delightful surprises...I highly recommend this book as one for you if you want to be properly informed and royally entertained. * Pete Loader, Teaching Earth Science *I think that it is useful and important for current and future generations of earth scientists to have an understanding of the roots of their science; this book may be one pathway that our students could reach that goal. * Kevin P. Furlong, professor in the department of geosciences at the Pennsylvania State University, American Journal of Physics *Far from being a dense, jargon-laden history book, Livermore brings an accessible writing style and brilliant humour to the story, which certainly had me chuckling. If you know anyone (including yourself!) who is keen to find out more about our planet, give them this book. * Jonathan Scafidi, The Geological Society *...a super read; I thoroughly enjoyed it! If you have the slightest interest in the history of plate tectonics, do read this bookyou will not be disappointed! * Michael Brown, International Geology Review *The Tectonic Plates are Moving! is a rock-solid read... the pacing of the book is great, the irreverent jokes and anecdotes genuinely amusing, the overview of different schools of thought balanced, and the explanations lucid. * The Inquisitive Biologist *This book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner, showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions at the Earths surface, including global geography and climate. * Ian Angus, Green Left Weekly *This is a great read for anyone interested in this fascinating subject. * Chris Darmon, Down to Earth *[A] packed account, richly contextualized. * Barbara Kiser, Nature *Roy Livermores book provides a comprehensive and authoritative account of the development of plate tectonics theory, from the earliest days of sea-floor spreading to current ideas on mantle plumes and the tectonics of Mars. It clearly describes the critical interactions of science, technology, human personalities and historical accidents. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, written from the point of view of a knowledgeable insider. * Roger C. Searle, Durham University, UK *Table of ContentsPart I: First Generation 1: Probably the best theory on Earth 2: The Paving Stone Theory of World Tectonics 3: Poles Apart 4: Plate Tectonics by Jerks 5: Plate Tectonics by Creeps Part II: Second Generation 6: Scum of the Earth 7: Continents and Supercontinents 8: All at Sea 9: Chilling Out 10: Ups and Downs 11: The Final Frontier

Read more less

Book SynopsisTelling the story of the four-billion-year history of Earth and life, this book attempts to answer some of our most fundamental questions: how did our Earth come to be? How did the Earth''s oceans, atmosphere, and climate form? How did life begin?Following the timeline of our planet, Earth and Life takes us from the creation of planet Earth to fluctuating global environments, from floods of lava and giant meteorites to great oceans and verdant landscapes. It takes us from the first life on our planet, to the evolution of various species, including the first humans, and explains how life has always changed the climate and environment on Earth.Life originated as tiny microbes from the ocean depths, formed mysterious reefs, then the first algae, marine animals, and, finally, plants and vertebrates that invaded the continents. The vast oceans eventually started to separate, as plate tectonics built up, and broke supercontinents in an ever changing geography. Roughly two billion years ago, marine photosynthesizing bacteria began to oxygenate the oceans and atmosphere, changing the biological landscape forever, and producing giant mineral deposits. Colour burst into the continents, from grey to red due to oxidized tropical weathering, and finally to green due to the first land plants and forests.Written with expertise and illustrated with clarity, this fascinating book is based on all the most recent scientific evidence and should be widely accessible. Whether you''re interested in geology, biology, or the wider natural world in general, if you are intent on understanding how Earth and life evolved, then this book explains it all.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is a book about an ocean that vanished six million years ago - the ocean of Tethys. Named after a Greek sea nymph, there is a sense of mystery about such a vast, ancient ocean, of which all that remains now are a few little pools, like the Caspian Sea. There were other great oceans in the history of the Earth - Iapetus, Panthalassa - but Tethys was the last of them, vanishing a mere moment (in geological terms) before Man came on the scene. Once Tethys stretched across the world. How do we know? And how could such a vast ocean vanish? The clues of its existence are scattered from Morocco to China. This book tells the story of the ocean, from its origins some 250 million years ago, to its disappearance. It also tells of its impact on life on Earth. The dinosaurs were just beginning to get going when Tethys formed, and they were long dead by the time it disappeared. Dorrik Stow describes the powerful forces that shaped the ocean; the marine life it once held and the rich deposits ofTrade ReviewReview from previous edition Vanished Ocean is an ideal book for those who are already widely read in natural science. It should appeal strongly to legions of former science students who, having since made their way in the world as accountants and personnel managers, hanker for the interest ad excitement of a life they once glimpsed but were unable to grasp. * Ted Nield, Literary Review *'Vanished Ocean' is an ideal general reader for students and those who are already widely read in natural science. * Ted Nield, Geoscientist *A wealth of nourishing knowledge revealed through the history of Tethyan Realm. * Ted Nield, Geoscientist *'Vanished Ocean' is an ideal book for those who are already widely read in natural science. * Ted Nield, Literary Review *A well argued contribution to one of the great scientific debates of the last 30 years. * Jonathan Beard, New Scientist *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Tethys the Sea Goddess ; 2. Pangea the Supercontinent and the Birth of Tethys ; 3. Extinction, Evolution, and the Great Cycles of Life ; 4. Tethyan Fecundity in the Jurassic Seas ; 5. Black Death to Black Gold ; 6. The Greatest Flood of All Time: Rise and Fall of the Seas ; 7. End of an Era: The Debate Continues ; 8. Portrait of the Tethys Seaway ; 9. Closing Ocean, Rising Mountain ; 10. Death Throes of an Ocean ; 11. Epilogue: Perspective on the Future ; Further Reading ; Glossary of terms

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe landscape of southwestern Wyoming around the ghost town of Fossil is beautiful but harsh. But during the early Eocene, more than fifty million years ago, it was a subtropical lake, surrounded by volcanoes and forests and teeming with life. Lavishly produced in full color, this title opens a window onto our planet's long-lost past.Trade Review"Lance Grande's book is a tour de force celebrating the scientific value, historical background, biodiversity, and sheer beauty of the exquisitely preserved fossils from the Fossil Butte localities in Wyoming. Elegantly written with lucid prose and enjoyable stories about the human culture of fossil collecting, it is an unforgettable, must-have biography of one the world's most significant fossil sites." -John Long, author of The Dawn of the Deed"

Read more less

Book SynopsisLynn R. Sykes played a key role in the birth of plate tectonics, conducting revelatory research on earthquakes. In this book, he gives an invaluable insider's perspective on the theory's development and its implications.Trade ReviewPlate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes is an enjoyable read about Lynn Sykes's firsthand experiences and historic contributions to seismology and to the world-shaking development of plate tectonics. -- Rick Aster, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State UniversityA personal, firsthand tour through one of the great scientific revolutions of the past several centuries, from a major contributor to that revolution. -- Daniel Davis, Stony Brook UniversityLynn Sykes, one of the scientific revolutionaries who gave us plate tectonics, tells his story, with special emphasis on earthquake prediction. Although earthquake prediction has been a topic perceived by some as pursued only by “fools and charlatans,” Sykes defends it not only as worthy of pursuit but also, however imperfect, as likely to be societally valuable. -- Peter Molnar, Distinguished Professor of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, BoulderLynn R. Sykes is world-renowned for his contributions to seismology. In this retrospective, he reflects on his fruitful scientific journey, from reading lots of seismograms and making fundamental contributions to the theory of plate tectonics and the understanding of great earthquakes, to the public policy implications of his earthquake research. -- Martin Reyners, GNS Science, New ZealandA leader in the plate tectonic revolution, Sykes also spearheaded studies of earthquake hazards and prediction for five decades. His unvarnished reflections and insights will captivate anyone intrigued by the irregular rhythms and spasms of the earth or curious about the scientists who strive to decipher them. -- Rob Wesson, former chief, USGS Office of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Engineering, and author of Darwin’s First Theory: Exploring Darwin’s Quest for a Theory of EarthA career-capping tour de force that is part memoir, part scientific history. * Civil Engineering *Anyone interested in earthquakes and natural hazard science will enjoy reading Plate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes and will gain new insights, even on topics they are familiar with. * Times Higher Education *Table of ContentsPreface1. Transform Faults: My Road to Seafloor Spreading, Continental Drift, and Plate Tectonics2. Childhood, High School, MIT, and Columbia University3. Earthquakes Along Fracture Zones and Mid-Oceanic Ridges, 1963–19654. Earthquakes at Subduction Zones, 1965–19675. Subduction, Plate Tectonics, and the New Global Tectonics, 1967–19696. Earthquakes in the Caribbean and Alaska7. Long-Term Earthquake Prediction, Seismic Gaps: Alaska, Mexico, and South America8. The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and Long-Term Prediction for California9. My Work with the U.S. National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council10. Japanese Earthquakes and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster11. Earthquakes in the Eastern and Central United States12. Earthquake Risks to Nuclear-Power Reactors13. Nuclear-Power Reactors in the United States: Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Disaster14. Travels to Earthquake Countries and a Trip to the Earth’s Mantle in Newfoundland15. Advances in Long-Term Earthquake Prediction: Future ProspectsAcknowledgmentsGlossaryReferencesIndexAbout the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe geologist Markes E. Johnson invites readers on a journey through deep time to find the traces of ancient islands. He visits a dozen sites around the globe, looking above and below today’s waterlines to uncover how landscapes of the past are preserved in the present.Trade ReviewIslands in Deep Time is a deep dive into the logic of geology: how vanished land- and seascapes can be conjured back into existence from the raw rock record. All geologists collect old rocks, but Markes Johnson collects entire ancient islands. This book is an exhibit of a dozen particularly fine specimens, which Johnson holds up and rotates so they can be viewed from multiple perspectives. -- Marcia Bjornerud, author of Geopedia: A Brief Compendium of Geologic Curiosities and Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the WorldUsing his lifetime of experience in geology, Johnson illustrates how a landscape can be read as the results of millions of years of geological, biological, and climatological processes. A fascinating and imaginative work. -- Henry Hooghiemstra, emeritus professor in the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of AmsterdamIslands in Deep Time takes readers on hikes to ancient shorelines, featuring possibly the best descriptions and visualizations of field locations I have ever read. -- Gordon Chancellor, coeditor of Charles Darwin's Notebooks from the Voyage of the Beagle[A…] geological tour de force. * Deposits Magazne *Table of ContentsPreface: On the Reality of Time TravelAcknowledgments1. How to Listen to a Sky Island with Global Ambition: Climbing Mount Monadnock2. How an Island Cluster Acquires Its Shape: A Journey in Late Cambrian Time to Wisconsin’s Baraboo Archipelago3. How Islands Trade in Physical Wear and Organic Growth: A Journey in Late Ordovician Time to Hudson Bay’s Jens Munk Archipelago4. How Islands Recall Windward Surf and Leeward Calm: A Journey in Late Silurian Time to Inner Mongolia’s Bater Island5. How Bigger Islands are Broken into Smaller Pieces: A Journey in Late Devonian Time to Western Australia’s Mowanbini Archipelago6. How Softer Islands Dissolve: A Journey in Early Permian Time to the Labyrinth Karst of Western Australia7. How Islands React to Big Storms: A Journey in Early Jurassic Time to Saint David’s Archipelago of Wales8. How Island Life Aligns with Global Currents: A Journey in Late Cretaceous Time to Baja California’s Eréndira Islands9. How Island Life Adjusts to Opposing Shores on Oceanic Islands: A Journey in Middle Miocene Time to the Madeira Archipelago10. How Volcanic Islands Rise, Fall, and Renew: A Journey in Early Pliocene Time to the Azorean Santa Maria Island11. How the Youngest Islands Challenge Witness: Journeys in Pleistocene Time to Islands on the African and Pacific Tectonic Plates12. How Islands Draw Meaning and Obligation: Descending Mount Misen on Japan’s Sacred MiyajimaGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe geologist Markes E. Johnson invites readers on a journey through deep time to find the traces of ancient islands. He visits a dozen sites around the globe, looking above and below today’s waterlines to uncover how landscapes of the past are preserved in the present.Trade ReviewIslands in Deep Time is a deep dive into the logic of geology: how vanished land- and seascapes can be conjured back into existence from the raw rock record. All geologists collect old rocks, but Markes Johnson collects entire ancient islands. This book is an exhibit of a dozen particularly fine specimens, which Johnson holds up and rotates so they can be viewed from multiple perspectives. -- Marcia Bjornerud, author of Geopedia: A Brief Compendium of Geologic Curiosities and Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the WorldUsing his lifetime of experience in geology, Johnson illustrates how a landscape can be read as the results of millions of years of geological, biological, and climatological processes. A fascinating and imaginative work. -- Henry Hooghiemstra, emeritus professor in the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of AmsterdamIslands in Deep Time takes readers on hikes to ancient shorelines, featuring possibly the best descriptions and visualizations of field locations I have ever read. -- Gordon Chancellor, coeditor of Charles Darwin's Notebooks from the Voyage of the Beagle[A…] geological tour de force. * Deposits Magazne *Table of ContentsPreface: On the Reality of Time TravelAcknowledgments1. How to Listen to a Sky Island with Global Ambition: Climbing Mount Monadnock2. How an Island Cluster Acquires Its Shape: A Journey in Late Cambrian Time to Wisconsin’s Baraboo Archipelago3. How Islands Trade in Physical Wear and Organic Growth: A Journey in Late Ordovician Time to Hudson Bay’s Jens Munk Archipelago4. How Islands Recall Windward Surf and Leeward Calm: A Journey in Late Silurian Time to Inner Mongolia’s Bater Island5. How Bigger Islands are Broken into Smaller Pieces: A Journey in Late Devonian Time to Western Australia’s Mowanbini Archipelago6. How Softer Islands Dissolve: A Journey in Early Permian Time to the Labyrinth Karst of Western Australia7. How Islands React to Big Storms: A Journey in Early Jurassic Time to Saint David’s Archipelago of Wales8. How Island Life Aligns with Global Currents: A Journey in Late Cretaceous Time to Baja California’s Eréndira Islands9. How Island Life Adjusts to Opposing Shores on Oceanic Islands: A Journey in Middle Miocene Time to the Madeira Archipelago10. How Volcanic Islands Rise, Fall, and Renew: A Journey in Early Pliocene Time to the Azorean Santa Maria Island11. How the Youngest Islands Challenge Witness: Journeys in Pleistocene Time to Islands on the African and Pacific Tectonic Plates12. How Islands Draw Meaning and Obligation: Descending Mount Misen on Japan’s Sacred MiyajimaGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer Prize-winning view of the continent, across the fortieth parallel and down through 4.6 billion yearsTwenty years ago, when John McPhee began his journeys back and forth across the United States, he planned to describe a cross section of North America at about the fortieth parallel and, in the process, come to an understanding not only of the science but of the style of the geologists he traveled with. The structure of the book never changed, but its breadth caused him to complete it in stages, under the overall title Annals of the Former World.Like the terrain it covers, Annals of the Former World tells a multilayered tale, and the reader may choose one of many paths through it. As clearly and succinctly written as it is profoundly informed, this is our finest popular survey of geology and a masterpiece of modern nonfiction.Annals of the Former World is the winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMoving away from his earlier belief in a short, catastrophic history of the Earth, this volume shows how Buckland envisages instead progressive change as the Earth gradually cooled as it was prepared for human occupation. Extinct creatures did not die out because they were poorly designed; God loved the dinosaurs and had adapted them to their various circumstances.Table of ContentsVOLUME I: I. Extent of the Province of Geology II. Consistency of Geological Discoveries with Sacred History III. Proper subjects of Geological Inquiry IV. Relation of Unstratified to Stratified Rocks V. Volcanic Rocks, Basalt, and Trap VI. Primary stratified Rocks VII. Strata of the Transition Series VIII. Strata of the Secondary IX. Strata of the Tertiary Series X. Relations of the Earth and its Inhabitants to Man XI. Supposed cases of Fossil Human Bones XII. General History of Fossil Organic Remains XIII. Aggregate of Animal Enjoyment increased, and that of Pain diminished by the existence of Carnivorous IX Strata of the Secondary Series X. Relations of the Earth and its Inhabitants to Man XI. Supposed cases of Fossil Human Bones XII. General History of Fossil Organic Remains XIII. Aggregate of Animal Enjoyment increased, and that of Pain diminished by the existence of Carnivorous Races XIV. Proofs of Design in the Structure of Fossil Vertebrated Animals CHAP. XV. Proofs of Design in the Fossil Remains of Mollusks CHAP. XVI. Proofs of Design in the Structure of Fossil Articulated Animals XVII. Proofs of Design in the Structure of Fossil Radiated Animals, or Zoophytes CHAP. XVIII. Proofs of Design in the Structure of Fossil Vegetables

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSir Harry Godwin has written a companion volume to his widely acclaimed Fenland: its ancient past and uncertain future. He follows the same historical approach that made Fenland so interesting. Vast rain-fed peat bogs still cover the landscape of northern and western Britain, their ecology, vegetation and flora unfamiliar to most of our population. Yet, through the millennia since last Ice Age, they have accumulated ever-deepening acidic peat, whose plant remains are a precious archive of the events of the past. Upon investigation, the reconstructed bog vegetation gave clues to former climatic history, pollen analysis provided a chronological scale dependent upon changes in upland forest composition and archaeological objects from the Mesolithic to the Roman period were recovered by peat-diggers from observed horizons in the bogs. The Archives of Peat Bogs will be of great interest to a wide readership comprising both amateur and professional biologists, geologists, geographers, archaeTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; 1. Introduction: Quaternary research and mires; 2. Living raised bog; 3. Raised bog stratigraphy: first steps; 4. Blanket bog; 5. Plants of the bogs: Sphagnum; 6. Plants of the bogs: sedges and such; 7. Plants of the bogs: dwarf shrubs etc.; 8. Recent peat of Somerset: a double inundation; 9. Trackways in context; 10. Geology of levels and lakes: marine transgressions and lake settlements; 11. Old peat and Neolithic culture; 12. Disforestation and agriculture; 13. Pollen zones and sea-level changes absolutely dated; 14. Climatic registration; 15. The archive appraised; References; Short glossary; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEarth's climate has undergone dramatic changes over the geologic timescale. At one extreme, Earth has been glaciated from the poles to the equator for periods that may have lasted millions of years. This title presents the study of such changes and their causes.Trade Review"The work is well-written, with just enough mathematics to add to the reader's understanding, without causing confusion."--Choice "The author has succeeded admirably in producing a clear, concise, yet detailed summary of a very important topic. The text is supplemented by an excellent selection of diagrams and data displays ... and more than 300 references to the primary research literature. I found it easy to read yet thought provoking, consistently interesting and, perhaps best of all, not at all intimidating in bulk or style. Highly recommended!"--William R. Green, Leading Edge "Paleoclimate gives the reader a concise, clear view of how Earth's climate has changed over geologic time and the major drivers for this change. I heartily recommend the book for those interested in understanding Earth's rich climate complexity."--Jeffrey T Kiehl, Reports of the National Center for Science EducationTable of ContentsList of Boxes vi Preface vii Acknowledgments xiii 1 Earth's Climate System 1 2 The Faint Young Sun 24 3 Precambrian Glaciations 38 4 Regulation of the Earth System and Global Temperature 54 5 The Late Paleozoic Ice Ages 73 6 Equable Climates of the Mesozoic and Paleogene 97 7 The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum 125 8 The Long Cooling of the Cenozoic 144 9 The Origin of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation and the Pleistocene Ice Ages 172 10 Rapid Climate Change during the Last Glacial Period 235 11 The Holocene 264 12 Anthropogenic Global Warming in the Context of Paleoclimate 287 Glossary 295 Index 303

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Evocative and vivid."---Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Nick Smith, The Explorers Journal"Like Antarctica itself: dynamic and unexpected, but always fascinating."---Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine"Cold begone! Here be wonders. . . . [Wood] approaches Antarctica with refreshing breeziness."---Fergus Fleming, Literary Review"Three nations sent expeditions to the Antarctic in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This fascinating account describes their members’ heroism and often disastrous experiences without ignoring the significant discoveries that followed. . . . Outstanding history accompanied by outstanding popular science." * Kirkus, starred review *"Wood’s approach links exploration and scientific study, showing how researchers have followed in the footsteps—sometimes literally—of trailblazing Antarctic adventurers. Moreover, the vulnerability of those early explorers, with their wooden ships and primitive equipment, reminds Wood of our collective vulnerability today to planetary systems shifting under the pressure of climate change."---Marissa Grunes, Boston Review"A masterful means of emplacing Antarctica – and the history of science – in deep time: an urgent concern in our moment of climate crisis."---Alexis Rider, Polar Journal"In a book that is both science and adventure story, Land of Wondrous Cold weaves together the human and natural history of the Antarctic by connecting early Victorian explorers and their discoveries with ancient and modern geological findings."---Midge Raymond, EcoLit Books"[A] superb account."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Dr Alyson Hitch, Bay Magazine"The book recounts the stories of . . . rival expeditions in relation to each other in vivid detail, bringing out the various personalities involved." * Paradigm Explorer *"Land of Wondrous Cold blew me away with its clever twin narrative. Readers interested in polar exploration, science history, earth sciences, or deep-time history should all take note. This book is far more interesting and satisfying than a casual glance might suggest."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"This is a well written book that remains clear even whilst juggling three different expeditions. It could easily have been three times the length, but this would rather have spoilt the whole package, which is digestible and easy to read."---Dave Munday, Ocean Challenge

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Evocative and vivid."---Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Nick Smith, The Explorers Journal"Like Antarctica itself: dynamic and unexpected, but always fascinating."---Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine"Cold begone! Here be wonders. . . . [Wood] approaches Antarctica with refreshing breeziness."---Fergus Fleming, Literary Review"Three nations sent expeditions to the Antarctic in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This fascinating account describes their members’ heroism and often disastrous experiences without ignoring the significant discoveries that followed. . . . Outstanding history accompanied by outstanding popular science." * Kirkus, starred review *"Wood’s approach links exploration and scientific study, showing how researchers have followed in the footsteps—sometimes literally—of trailblazing Antarctic adventurers. Moreover, the vulnerability of those early explorers, with their wooden ships and primitive equipment, reminds Wood of our collective vulnerability today to planetary systems shifting under the pressure of climate change."---Marissa Grunes, Boston Review"A masterful means of emplacing Antarctica – and the history of science – in deep time: an urgent concern in our moment of climate crisis."---Alexis Rider, Polar Journal"In a book that is both science and adventure story, Land of Wondrous Cold weaves together the human and natural history of the Antarctic by connecting early Victorian explorers and their discoveries with ancient and modern geological findings."---Midge Raymond, EcoLit Books"[A] superb account."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Dr Alyson Hitch, Bay Magazine"The book recounts the stories of . . . rival expeditions in relation to each other in vivid detail, bringing out the various personalities involved." * Paradigm Explorer *"Land of Wondrous Cold blew me away with its clever twin narrative. Readers interested in polar exploration, science history, earth sciences, or deep-time history should all take note. This book is far more interesting and satisfying than a casual glance might suggest."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"This is a well written book that remains clear even whilst juggling three different expeditions. It could easily have been three times the length, but this would rather have spoilt the whole package, which is digestible and easy to read."---Dave Munday, Ocean Challenge

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the ASLI Choice Award, Atmospheric Science Librarians International""Winner of the PROSE Award in Earth Science, Association of American Publishers""Winner of the Special Book Award, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards""Winner of the Award of Excellence in Plants and Environmental Change, Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries""A detailed and authoritative account that reveals the rich and fascinating story of this unique landscape and its climate, geology and natural history. . . . Williams’s book offers a wonderful insight into how climate can transform the landscape across long stretches of time, as well as how delicately balanced are the ecosystems on which we depend."---P. D. Smith, The Guardian"This vivid historical survey by Earth scientist Martin Williams is the result of a lifetime’s work."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"Fascinating. . . . Engrossing. . . . When the Sahara Was Green covers the cyclical, gradual desiccation of the Sahara, the changing of its biomes, the nature of its current occupants, and even the question of its future. It’s formidably researched . . . but so warmly, approachably written that learning was never so pleasant."---Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Review"Given Williams’s deep well of knowledge, this book could have been bogged down by technicalities and jargon. Instead, When the Sahara Was Green is admirably accessible to a broad audience with only basic knowledge of geography and earth sciences. Furthermore, the book stands out for the numerous clear and well-designed illustrations that explain complex concepts."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist"Highly accessible . . . and filled with interesting facts about geological history."---Nicole Barbaro, Bookmarked"[A] fascinating and informative introduction to the history of the Sahara, the past and present lifeforms it hosts, and its role in the wider planetary environment . . . Read this book and spread interest in Earth’s largest desert."---Jeffery Hirschy, H-Environment

Read more less

Book SynopsisMenard begins with the leading hypotheses (such as that the earth expands) and the supporting evidence for each. He traces the crucial work of the 1960s year by year as researchers debated hypotheses in correspondence and at frequent meetings. Throughout the book Professor Menard considers the implications of his story for the sociology of scienceTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO H. W. MENARD, pg. vii*CONTENTS, pg. ix*ILLUSTRATIONS, pg. xi*PREFACE, pg. xiii*Chapter 1. THE DUST ON HESS'S SLATE, pg. 1*Chapter 2. THE DREAM OF A GREAT POET, pg. 17*Chapter 3. I KEEP MY SHIPS AT SEA, pg. 30*Chapter 4. FINDING SMOOTHER PEBBLES, pg. 44*Chapter 5. DISCOVERY OF FRACTURE ZONES AND SEA-FLOOR PROVINCES, pg. 56*Chapter 6. DISCOVERY AND USE OF MYSTERIOUS MAGNETIC ANOMALIES, pg. 70*Chapter 7. MEANWHILE DRIFTING ASHORE, pg. 80*Chapter 8. DISCOVERY OF MEDIAN RIFT, pg. 94*Chapter 9. BLUE WATER, GREEN ROCK: THE ADMIRAL'S MANTLE, pg. 108*Chapter 10. OCEANIC TRENCHES, pg. 119*Chapter 11. THE SEQUENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RIDGES, pg. 132*Chapter 12. THE EXPANDING EARTH, pg. 142*Chapter 13. SEA-FLOOR SPREADING, pg. 152*Chapter 14. 1960, pg. 162*Chapter 15. 1961-1962 THE REVOLUTION BEGINS, pg. 175*Chapter 16. 1963-1964 INCREASING TENSION, pg. 190*Chapter 17. 1963-1964 MAGNETIC REVERSALS AND THE VINE-MATTHEWS HYPOTHESIS, pg. 212*Chapter 18. 1963-1964 CONTINENTAL DRIFT, pg. 223*Chapter 19. 1965 SEA-FLOOR SPREADING CONFIRMED, pg. 238*Chapter 20. 1966 CONVERSION OF THE INVOLVED, pg. 256*Chapter 21. THE OCEAN OF TRUTH, pg. 281*EPILOGUE, pg. 295*ABSTRACT OF CHRONOLOGY LOGARITHMIC SCALE, pg. 303*NOTES, pg. 305*BIBLIOGRAPHY, pg. 327*INDEX, pg. 341

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Preface, pg. v*Acknowledgments, pg. ix*Contents, pg. x*I. History's Lessons, pg. 3*II. The Moon's Shape and Motion, pg. 24*III. Remote Sensing Techniques, pg. 36*IV. Lunar Craters and Terrestrial Analogs. Part 1, pg. 59*IV. Lunar Craters and Terrestrial Analogs. Part 2, pg. 88*V. Imbrium Basin Stratigraphy, pg. 117*VI. Other Basins-Other Stratigraphies, pg. 140*VII. Crater Stratigraphy, pg. 161*VIII. Volcanic Stratigraphy. Part 1, pg. 176*VIII. Volcanic Stratigraphy. Part 2, pg. 206*IX. Highland Stratigraphy, pg. 237*X. Relative and Absolute Ages of Lunar Materials, pg. 255*XI. Lunar Stratigraphy Reconsidered, pg. 277*XI. Apollo Results. Part 1, pg. 281*XI. Apollo Results. Part 2, pg. 320*Appendix A: GEOLOGIC MAPS OF THE MOON AT A SCALE OF 1:1,000,000, pg. 359*Appendix B. INDEX MAP OF THE MOON, pg. 361*References, pg. 365*Index, pg. 386

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Floating Egg begins with the search for an alchemist''s secret, and ends with the re-imagination of a past world. Each chapter is connected to a particular corner of north-east England, and each explores the uncertain line where myth is dissolved into science, and belief gives way to knowledge. Different episodes show how the fall of Constantinople converted the common rock of the Yorkshire cliffs into a source of extraordinary wealth and power, and how this in turn uncovered the inhabitants of a succession of past worlds; how a stone falling from the sky near this same coast changed the minds of all the natural philosophers of Europe; and how a new science was born on the top of the tower of York Minster. We learn about the cloak-and-dagger world of fossil trading in the town of Whitby; and we see the entire life-work of a forgotten scientific genius who died from consumption at the age of twenty-five, having revolutionised his science. The stories move fTrade ReviewA wonderful tome...beautifully structured...utterly fascinating... Reading The Floating Egg is a captivating experience because there is at least one surprise in every chapter... Roger Osborne has combined portions of history, biology, architecture, palaeontology, astronomy - and a large dose of humour - and produced the fascinating story of how geology came to be * The Times *His exploration of geology's Yorkshire roots is infallibly entertaining...A delightful book...quirky and thoroughly Yorkshire, and all the better for that * New Scientist *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMud-mounds are build-ups of biogenic carbonate sediment and are economically important as hosts of lead-zinc mineralization as well as oil and gas deposits. This book investigates the structure, origin and evolution of carbonate mud-mounds. It reviews the different mechanisms, principally microbial and detrital, of mud-mound formation.Table of ContentsIntroduction and Overviews. A review of the origin and evolution of carbonate mud-mounds. The rise and nature of carbonate mud-mounds: an introductory actualistic approach. The origin, biota and evolution of deep-water mud-mounds. Palaeozoic Mud-Mounds. Shallow water stromatactis mud-mounds on a middle Ordovician foreland basin platform, western Newfoundland. Silurian microbial build-ups of the Canadian Arctic. The environmental setting of Early Carboniferous mud-mounds. Waulsortian banks. Carbonate mud-mounds in the Fort Payne Formation (lower Carboniferous), Cumberland Saddle region, Kentucky and Tennessee, USA. Late Dinantian (Brigantian) carbonate mud-mounds of the Derbyshire carbonate platform. Mesozoic Mud-Mounds. Mud-mounds with reefal caps in the upper Muschelkalk (Triassic), eastern Spain. Initiation and development of small-scale sponge mud-mounds, Late Jurassic, Southern Franconian Alb, Germany. Albian carbonate mounds: comparative study in the context of sea-level variations (Soba, northern Spain). Nature and origin of late Cretaceous mud-mounds, North Africa. Sedimentation, diagenesis and syntectonic erosion of Upper Cretaceous rudist mounds in central Tunisia. Cenozoic Mud-Mounds. An Eocene biodetrital mud-mound from the southern Pyrenean foreland basin, Spain: an ancient analogue for Florida Bay mounds?. Origin and growth of carbonate banks in south Florida. Anatomy of a Recent biodetrital mud-mound, Florida Bay, USA. Growth and burrow-transformation of carbonate banks: comparison of modern skeletal banks of south Florida and Pennsylvanian phylloid banks of south-eastern Kansas, USA. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA valuable reference for academic researchers and graduate students in geomorphology and oceanography, this 2007 book reviews the history of geomorphological studies of the Great Barrier Reef and assesses the influences of sea-level change and oceanographic processes on the development of reefs over the last 10,000 years.Trade Review'… well written and well illustrated … a very useful contribution to the reef literature and one that should be of interest to a wide range of reef scientists and managers.' Coral Reefs'This will be a valuable source book on the GBR. The authors' thoroughness, grasps of detail and surefootedness in covering a diverse range of topics is impressive … Even though the book is strongly GBR-focussed, it still retains a general sense of critical review that was so useful in the 1982 volume, with a text often organised around key research questions.' Reef Encounter'Without doubt, this is a book of scientific quality built on several decades of first hand research experience by the authors. It is well produced and represents good value for money …deserves a place not only on the shelves of major libraries but also on those of all serious researchers, teachers and practitioners concerned with coral reef systems and wider coastal and marine environmental management.' Geoscientist'This is a valuable synthesis of data currently available on the GBR, and therefore this book is a very useful contribution to reef literature and will be of use to reef and sea-level scientists and managers.' Quaternary Science Reviews'I … recommend the book without any reservations and encourage all those interested in coral reefs the world over to buy this book.' Journal of Coastal Research'… this text is an essential … investment for anyone involved in researching or managing the GBR and could be used effectively by physical geography teachers anywhere in the world to illustrate the strengths of a modern geomorphic approach to science and environmental management.' New Zealand Geographer'Neither the authors nor the publisher could have produced a better monograph that incorporates consistently good diagrams, maps and photographs, a unique data base in tables and graphs covering every island, drill hole and reef type and a text that systematically brings together the research outputs of geoscientists working on the GBR in the last two to three decades in a coherent and synthetic manner.' Geographical Research' … we have really only scratched the surface of the limestone upon which the future of the ecological system lies. However, there could be no finer foundation than provided by this book to stimulate the scientific research, and the development of management practices necessary to make sure that there is still a magnificent reef to be seen by future generations of reef scientists, and millions more tourists.' AreaTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; 1. Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef; 2. Foundations of the Great Barrier Reef; 3. Sea-level: a primary control of long-term reef growth and geomorphological development; 4. Oceanography, hydrodynamics, climate and water quality as influences on reef geomorphological processes; 5. Spatial analysis of the reefs and islands of the Great Barrier Reef; 6. The non-reefal areas of the Continental Shelf; 7. Fringing and nearshore coral reefs; 8. The mid-shelf reefs of the Great Barrier Reef; 9. The coral reefs of the outer shelf of the Great Barrier Reef; 10. Reef islands of the Great Barrier Reef; 11. The accumulation of the Holocene veneer to the Great Barrier Reef; 12. The Holocene evolution of the Great Barrier Reef province; 13. Geomorphology's contribution to the understanding and resolution of environmental problems of the Great Barrier Reef; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides a new look at the climatic history of the last 2. 6 million years during the ice age, a time of extreme climatic fluctuations that have not yet ended.Trade Review"I can thoroughly recommend this book, which clearly meets the back-cover claim to be ideal for under- and post-graduates studying the Quaternary, and for researchers in climate and environmental change as well as geology." (Proceedings of the Open University Geological Society Apr-2017)Table of ContentsAbout the Authors vii Preface ix Acknowledgements xi About the companion website xiii 1. Introduction 3 1.1 In the Beginning was the Great Flood 4 1.2 The Ice Ages of the Earth 14 1.3 Causes of an Ice Age 18 2. The Course of the Ice Age 27 2.1 When did the Quaternary Period Begin? 27 2.2 What’s in Stratigraphy? 33 2.3 Traces in the Deep Sea 35 2.4 Systematics of the Ice Age 43 2.5 Günz, Mindel, Riss and Würm: Do They Still Apply? 46 2.6 Northern Germany and Adjacent Areas 58 2.7 The British Pleistocene Succession 76 2.8 Quaternary History of North America 86 2.9 The Course of the Ice Ages: A Global View 100 3. Ice and Water 107 3.1 The Origin of Glaciers 107 3.2 Recent Glaciers: Small and Large 113 3.3 Dynamics of Ice Sheets 121 3.4 Meltwater 129 4. Till and Moraines: The Traces of Glaciers 137 4.1 Till 137 4.2 Moraines 172 5. Meltwater: From Moulins to the Urstromtal 191 5.1 Fjords, Channels and Eskers 191 5.2 Outwash Plains and Gravel Terraces 202 5.3 Ice-dammed Lakes 207 5.4 Kames: Deposits at the Ice Margin 213 5.5 Urstromtäler 220 6. Maps: Where Are We? 227 6.1 Digital Maps 229 6.2 Satellite Images: Basic Data for Ice-Age Research 236 6.3 Projections and Ellipsoids 240 7. Extent of the Glaciers 243 7.1 Exploring the Arctic by Airship 243 7.2 Glaciers in the Barents Sea 244 7.3 Isostasy and Eustasy 246 7.4 Ice in Siberia? 252 7.5 Asia: The Mystery of Tibet 258 7.6 South America: Volcanoes and Glaciers 265 7.7 Mediterranean Glaciations 269 7.8 Were Africa, Australia and Oceania Glaciated? 272 7.9 Antarctica: Eternal Ice? 273 8. Ice in the Ground: The Periglacial Areas 277 8.1 Definition and Distribution 277 8.2 Extent of Frozen Ground during the Pleistocene 281 8.3 Frost Weathering 283 8.4 Cryoplanation 286 8.5 Rock Glaciers: Glaciers (Almost) Without Ice 288 8.6 Involutions 291 8.7 Solifluction 294 8.8 Periglacial Soil Stripes 296 8.9 Frost Cracks and Ice Wedges 297 8.10 Pingos, Palsas and other Frost Phenomena 301 9. Hippos in the Thames: The Warm Stages 311 9.1 Tar Pits of Evidence 311 9.2 Development of Fauna 312 9.3 Development of Vegetation 316 9.4 Weathering and Soil Formation 324 9.5 Water in the Desert: The Shifting of Climate Zones 336 9.6 Changes in the Rainforest 345 10. The Course of Deglaciation 349 10.1 Contribution to Landforms 349 10.2 Ice Decay 350 10.3 The Origin of Kettle Holes 354 10.4 Pressure Release 357 10.5 A Sudden Transition? 359 10.6 The Little Ice Age 363 11. Wind, Sand and Stones: Aeolian Processes 369 11.1 Dunes 369 11.2 Aeolian Sand 378 11.3 Loess 378 12. What Happened to the Rivers? 383 12.1 River Processes and Landforms 383 12.2 Dry Valleys 386 12.3 The Rhine: Influences of Alpine and Nordic Ice 387 12.4 The Elbe: Once Flowed to the Baltic Sea 396 12.5 The Thames: Influence of British Ice 400 13. North and Baltic Seas during the Ice Age 405 13.1 Development of the North Sea 406 13.2 Development of the Baltic Sea 414 14. Climate Models and Reconstructions 427 14.1 Ice Cores 427 14.2 The Marine Circulation 429 14.3 Modelling the Last Ice Sheets 431 14.4 Modelling Glaciers and Climate 442 15. Human Interference 447 15.1 Out of Africa: Humans Spread Out 448 15.2 Neanderthals and Homo sapiens 452 15.3 The Middle Stone Age 452 15.4 The Neolithic Period: The Beginning of Agriculture 453 15.5 Bronze and Iron 454 15.6 The Romans 455 15.7 Middle Ages 457 15.8 Recent Land Grab 457 15.9 Drying Lakes, Melting Glaciers and other Problems 459 15.10 The Anthropocene: Defining the Human Age? 465 References 469 Index 541

Read more less

Book SynopsisEarth System History remains the only text for the historical geology module written from a truly integrated earth systems perspective, combining the physical and biological history of Earth. The thoroughly updated new edition includes new coverage on mass extinctions and climate change, plus improved organization based on the geologic timescale.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn May 12, 2008, the Wenchuan County earthquake caused devastating loss of human life and property. Applying all the remote sensing technology available, the Chinese Academy of Sciences immediately launched into action, making full use of its state-of-the-art facilities, remote sensing planes, and satellites to amass invaluable optical and radar data. This unprecedented use of comprehensive remote sensing techniques provided accurate, up to the minute information for disaster management and has left us with a visually stunning and beautiful record that is as much a scientific achievement as it is an artistic one.Based on the accumulated data and images collected by the Project Team of Remote Sensing Monitoring and Assessment of the Wenchuan Earthquake, Atlas of Remote Sensing of the Wenchuan Earthquake documents the events as they happened in real time. The book covers the disaster from six aspects: geological, barrier lakes, collapsed buildings, damagTable of ContentsRemote Sensing Data. Geological Disasters. Barrier Lakes. Collapsed Buildings and Houses. Damaged Roads. Destroyed Farmlands and Forests. Demolished Infrastructure. Continuing Civilization.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTuzo is the never-before-told story of one of Canada's most influential scientists and the discovery of plate tectonics, a pivotal development that forever altered how we think of our planet.Trade Review"This book presents a long overdue appreciation of the geologist J. Tuzo Wilson and his profound contributions to the development of our understanding of plate tectonics…The book is very well written, delightful to read and superbly illustrated." -- Andrew Hynes, McGill University * Geoscience Canada *"In accessible language, Eyles provides an outstanding biography of John Tuzo Wilson, the geophysicist responsible for clarifying today's understanding of continent movement." -- L.T. Spencer, Plymouth State University * CHOICE *“In accessible language, Eyles provides an outstanding biography of John Tuzo Wilson, the geophysicist responsible for clarifying today's understanding of continent movement…Readers unfamiliar with the plate tectonics controversy will find this book extremely informative. Knowledgeable readers will enjoy the nuanced overview of Tuzo's contributions to the present knowledge of plate tectonics and continental drift.” -- L.T. Spencer, emeritus, Plymouth State University * CHOICE *“For me, it was a gripping page-turner and an unforgettable account of a scientific revolution occurring in my lifetime … A must‐read for geographers or indeed, for anyone interested in the history of earth science and paradigmatic change.” -- Ian MacLachlan, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School * Canadian Geographies *Table of ContentsPrologue: The Day the Earth Moved 1. In the Beginning 2. Continents Adrift? 3. Sources of Friction 4. Permanentist Foundations 5. Tuzo’s War 6. A Geologist in a Strange Land 7. Seismic Shift 8. The New World of Plate Tectonics 9. An Unlikely Revolutionary Appendix I: Medals and Awards Appendix II: Select Primary Sources Appendix III: The Geological Timescale Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe monograph presents the results of studies of the organization of terrestrial geo (eco-) systems in the Pacific mobile belt - the tectonically and climatically active zone of contact between the mainland and the ocean, creating new land areas. A detailed evolutionary landscape-ecological concept based on a discrete empirical-statistical modeling of forest natural complexes at various stages of the geological history of the formation of the continental biosphere in the Northwest Pacific is presented. Based on the materials of large-scale landscape surveys conducted at experimental ranges, three spatiotemporal sections are described with a common trajectory of subaerial landscape genesis: 1) neo-specific, progressive - the stage of nucleation and upward evolution of volcanogenic island-arc geosystems of the Neogene-Quaternary age in the ocean environment, with the formation at the local level of the beginnings of zonal types of geographical environment and with the emergence of "climate unjustified" highly productive forests due to geothermal th power of active volcanoes; 2) subpacific marginal continental - the stage of their subsequent continental development as a young (Mesozoic) mountain-valley morphostructure, with the formation of buffer forest communities of evolutionary menopause; 3) subpacific regressive - the final stage of decaying evolution, due to the fragmentation and sinking of the marginal parts of the material, with the advent of continental islands with a "decrepit" denudation relief, active exogenous morpholithogenesis and a simplified structure of the forest cover. The climatic-genetic mechanisms of evolutionary landscape-ecological processes in various sectors of the Pacific megaecoton are described using simulation of these processes according to landscape forecasts for the next 100-200 years. According to the stability parameters of forest communities, chronological regularities of climatogenic phytocenotic transformations in the island-arc and marginal continental landscapes are revealed.Table of ContentsForewordIntroduction: The Contemporary State of the ProblemPart I: Pacific Ocean Mega Ecotone as the Object of Landscape Research -- Landscape-Ecological Organization of Continent-Ocean Mega EcotoneMethods of Empirical-Statistical Modeling. Part II: Ecology of Island-Arc Volcanic Landscape -- Regional Bioclimatic System of the Kuril Islands and its Evolutionary SignificanceVolcanogenic Basis of Island-Arc LandscapesSoil-Vegetation Cover and Microlandscapes in the Island-Arc Volcanic EcoregionStructural Organization of Island Volcanic LandscapeFunctional Organization of Island-Arc Forest EcosystemsEffect of Geothermal Energy on Forest Formation in Island Volcanic Landscapes. Part III: Evolutionary Ecology of Marginal-Continental Boreal Landscape -- Flora, Vegetation and Microlandscapes of Experimental Testing GroundStructural Organization of Forest Geo(Eco)SystemsFunctional Organization of Forest EcosystemsPart IV: Continental-Island Fading Evolution Landscape -- Putyatin Island as a Modeling ObjectMonosystem Organization of Continental-Island LandscapeFunctional Organization of Fading Evolution Land-ScapeExogenous Morpholithogenesis. Part V: Climatogenic Mechanisms of Evolutionary Processes -- Theory and Methods of Climatogenic Simulation of Evolutionary ProcessesClimatogenic Dynamics and Sustainability of Forest EcosystemsAbstract of Evolutionary Landscape-Ecological Concept. ConclusionsReferences.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany people appreciate the stunning vistas of the Great Basin desert; understanding the region’s geological past can provide a deeper way to know and admire this landscape. In The Great Basin Seafloor, Frank DeCourten immerses readers in a time when the Basin was covered by a vast ocean in which volcanoes exploded and sea life flourished. Written for a nontechnical audience, this book interprets the rock record left by more than 500 million years of oceanic activity, when mud and sand accumulated and solidified to produce today’s Great Basin across parts of modern Utah, Nevada, and California. DeCourten deciphers clues within exposed slopes and canyons to reconstruct the vanished seafloor and its volcanic events and examines fossils to reveal once-thriving ancient marine communities. Supplemental material is available online to serve as a field guide for readers wishing to explore this ancient ocean themselves as they travel through the region.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile the national parks and reserves of East Africa are widely known for their rich and abundant wildlife, there is another less celebrated but equally intriguing aspect to them. This book presents a new and exciting angle – the geological highlights of the region. East Africa’s cataclysmic volcanic legacy, caused by rifting of the landmass, has resulted in a rich source of geological wonders. These range from the seemingly endless plains of the Serengeti to the skyscraper walls of extinct calderas and the belching vents of the Nyiragongo Volcano. This handy guide escorts users around all the major – and some minor – parks of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and through the Virunga Mountains along the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Descriptions of each park and its wildlife, both fauna and flora, preface discussion of the geological origins, influences and current conditions. Key geosites in the parks, and how to access them, are indicated. Maps, satellite images and diagrams, along with vivid photography, help to explain the dramatic landforms. For anyone planning a safari to the legendary East African game parks and reserves, this book adds a meaningful new dimension. Sales points: New geological perspective for traditional game parks; Features more than 70 parks and reserves; Reveals the drama of East Africa’s cataclysmic origins; An invaluable resource for tourists, safari goers and park guides.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Isle of Arran dominates the Firth of Clyde. A favourite haunt of holidaymakers, it is also a place of fascination for the geologist, offering a huge variety of rocks that represent a massive slice through geological time. From the ancient bent and buckled strata of Dalradian - a small fragment of the roots of the once mighty Scottish Highlands - the dramatic Northern mountains through which ice gouged its way during the Ice Age, to the relatively recent (some 60 million years ago!) rocks associated with the Arran volcano, the geological record tells an amazing tale. This book is a fascinating introduction to the landscape of Arran - one of the significant geological areas of the country.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland are the products of some of the most dramatic events which have occurred in the Earth’s history. The Shetlands are the eroded roots of a vast mountain range that once soared to Himalayan heights and extended from Scandinavia to the Appalachians. Around 65 million years ago, this mighty chain was split asunder by the shifting of the Earth’s tectonic plates, and the North Atlantic Ocean was formed. In earlier times, the area was occupied by a huge freshwater lake – Lake Orcadie – which existed for almost 10 million years and was home to a wide range of primitive species of fish. Later, during the last Ice Age, the area was completely submerged beneath ice sheets which left an indelible mark on the landscapes of both island groups. This book tells the incredible geological story of the most northerly outposts of the British Isles.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Highland Book Prize 2019 The rocks of northern Scotland tell of turbulent events involving continental collisions that unleashed cataclysmic forces, creating a chain of mountains, the remnants of which we see today on both sides of the Atlantic. Geologists from Victorian times onwards have studied the area, and some of the most important geological phenomena have been established and described from the rocks that built these stunning landscapes. In this book, Alan McKirdy makes sense of the many and varied episodes that shaped the familiar landscape we see today. He highlights a number of fascinating geological features, including the Old Red Sandstones of Cromarty and the Black Isle, which carry the secrets of life during ‘the Age of Fishes’, and the thin sliver of fossil-bearing strata which hugs the coast from Golspie to beyond Helmsdale that dates back to Jurassic times and which records the time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe south of Scotland has a long and turbulent geological past. Perhaps most notably, it marks the place where, 432 million years ago, an ocean, once as wide as the north Atlantic, was compressed by a convergence of ancient lands and then ceased to be. Deserts covered the land with thick layers of brick-red coloured rocks, known as the Old Red Sandstone, piled up and dumped by rivers and streams that crisscrossed the area. Around 432 million years ago, violent explosive volcanic activity gave rise to the prominent landscape features recognised today as the Eildon Hills. In later geological times, the area was blanketed with massive sand dunes, later compressed to create the building stones from which Dumfries, Glasgow and other towns and cities, were constructed. It is also the place where the modern science of geology was born. James Hutton, star of the Scottish Enlightenment, found inspiration from his study of the local rocks. Sites he described almost 250 years ago are still hailed as amongst the most historic and important rock exposures to be found anywhere in the world.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe written history and archaeological records of Central Scotland takes us back to Pictish times some 5,000 years ago. The geology of the area stretches back a further 400 million years. The oldest rocks are found near Lesmahagow and in the Pentland Hills. Known geologically as ‘inliers’– small areas of rocks from an older age, surrounded by younger strata – these strata have yielded some of the oldest fish on earth and are highly prized for what they tell us about early life on the planet. Rocks of the Old Red Sandstone and the succeeding Carboniferous era underlie the rest of Central Scotland in almost equal measure. Explosive volcanic rocks, thick layers of lava, desert sandstones, limestones and productive coal measures make up this bedrock patchwork. Then, sometime later, a covering of ice, some two kilometres thick, blanketed the landscape. It sandpapered and burnished the bedrock into the familiar scenes we see today – our matchless Scottish landscape. The coal and iron ore which lay beneath the ground between Edinburgh and Glasgow provided the raw materials that drove the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, and the early focus on understanding the rocks beneath our feet was unsurprisingly initially concentrated on the most useful minerals resources.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Small Isles comprise the Inner Hebridean islands of Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck. The landscapes, rocks and fossils of these beautiful, remote islands tells of a drama involving erupting volcanoes, an ancient ecosystem that included dinosaurs and an ancient desert landscape. The geological history stretches back 3 billion years to the earliest events recorded on Earth. All four islands owe their origin to a group of three adjacent volcanoes that were active around 60 million years ago. Rum is the eroded remains of the magma chamber of one of these volcanoes. Eigg and Muck are part of the lava field that extends north from the Mull volcano and Canna lies towards the southern extent of the lavas that flowed from the Skye volcano. The final event that left a mark on these islands was the Ice Age that started around 2.4 million years ago. Its effect on the landscape was profound. The thick cover of erosive ice shaped the contours of the land into the hills and glens that we are familiar with today.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *‘Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

Read more less