Dynamic Earth: Plates, Plumes and Mantle Convection

Description

Dynamic Earth clearly details the mechanisms responsible for plate tectonics, volcanic hotspots, and many resulting geological processes. Starting from basic principles, coverage provides a fundamental exploration into the principles of convection in the earth's mantle, summarizes key observations and presents all the relevant physics. The book begins with a brief history of the key ideas leading into mantle convection, covering more than 200 years of geological thought. It concludes with surveys of geochemical contraints on mantle evolution and the thermal evolution of the mantle, with implications for changes in the surface tectonic regime. Main concepts and arguments are presented with a minimum of mathematics. For the reader who desires fuller coverage, more mathematical versions of important aspects are also included. This book will be of interest to a broad range of geologists who desire a better understanding of the earth's internal dynamics. Graduate students and researchers working on the many aspects of mantle dynamics and its implications for geological processes will find it particularly useful. It is also suitable as a text for upper undergraduate and postgraduate courses in geophysics, geochemistry, and tectonics.

'Seismic imaging allows geophysicists to trace flow cells in the mantle ... Until now, finding out about this work meant wading through journals and hefty research papers. Geoffrey Davies has changed all that with his superb book ...' Rob Butler, New Scientist ' ... an elegant and readable exposition with a clear message of how the plates and mantle probably work. The entrance of mantle-convection theory into mainstream Earth-science education is an important cause which this book champions admirably.' Nature ' ... a fascinating source ... information for casual readers together with deeper references for the geology student and specialist.' Spaceflight 'The work is readable, interesting and fun, providing good food and exposing much. As a general rattle of plates and a dance of plumes, the book has much to be enjoyed.' Euan Nisbet, University of London '... an excellent, modestly priced, and generally accessible book.' Norman H. Sleep, Physics Today 'This is an excellent text, treating us to a very accessible exposition of a complex, but essential aspect of our subject.' Diana M. Smith, Open University Geological Society Journal