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This advanced undergraduate textbook provides a thoroughly modern overview of plate tectonics and is the perfect resource for a capstone geology course. It presents plate tectonics as a multifaceted, interdisciplinary theory that unites many different geological observations and processes into a harmonious model so that readers grasp how the outer part of our planet works in relation to the deep interior. Supported by clear prose, helpful analogies, and stunning colour imagery, readers will gain an in-depth understanding of how and why plates interact to produce different topography, rock assemblages and deformation features along plate boundaries. Written by an author pairing renowned for their research, teaching, and textbook writing experience, this text covers necessary ground for a single-semester course without overwhelming readers and offers a truly accessible introduction to quantitative topics. Student-friendly features chart clear paths through every chapter and a rich suite of online resources bring plate tectonics to life.
List of contents
1. Introduction to a Tectonically Unique Planet; 2. Deformation, Stress and Strain; 3. Heat, Isostasy, Petrology and Basins; 4. Earth, its Interior and How it Works; 5. Plates, Plumes and Kinematics; 6. Continental Rifting; 7. Passive Continental Margins; 8. Seafloor Spreading; 9. Oceanic Transform Faults and Fracture Zones; 10. Continental Strike-Slip; 11. Oceanic Subduction; 12. Accretionary Orogeny; 13. Collisional Orogeny; 14. Orogenic Belts – Case Studies; 15. Formation of Earth, Early Tectonics, and Continental Growth; 16. Evolution Into Modern Tectonics.
About the author
Haakon Fossen is a longstanding professor of Structural Geology at the University of Bergen and has previously worked as an exploration and production geoscientist. His research ranges from hard to soft rocks and is based on field mapping, microscopy, physical and numerical modelling, geochronology, and seismic interpretation. He has authored close to 200 scientific publications and holds the first Nordic Geoscientist Award, a University of Minnesota Distinguished Leadership Award, and an Outstanding Paper Award from the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Society of America, of which he is also a Fellow. Professor Fossen has written several other books and book chapters, including his market-leading Structural Geology (2016)textbook for Cambridge University Press, and has a keen interest in developing electronic resources for teaching and outreach.Christian Teyssier is a professor in the Department of Earth Science at the University of Minnesota and has been a professor of geoscience since 1985. His research interests are structural geology and tectonics, metamorphic geology, geochemistry/geochronology, numerical modelling, orogenic processes such as crustal melting and orogenic collapse as well as oblique tectonics, with an emphasis on field-based observations. He holds a University of Minnesota Distinguished Teaching Award for Outstanding Contributions to Post-Baccalaureate Graduate and Professional Education, and a Best Paper Award from the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Society of America, of which he has been a Fellow. Professor Teyssier has authored/co-authored over 150 scientific publications.
Summary
This advanced undergraduate textbook provides a thoroughly modern overview of plate tectonics so that readers grasp how the outer part of our planet works in relation to the deep interior. The text is supported by clear prose, helpful analogies, stunning colour imagery, and a rich suite of online resources.
Foreword
An advanced undergraduate textbook offering a modern overview of plate tectonics through clear explanations and stunning colour imagery.
