Over the past 20 years, geologists have come to realize that the real object of their studies is the Earth, and that their favorite subjects, whether basalts, earthquakes, or the Tibetan plateau (for example) are only the means to understanding the Earth itself as a complete entity. Geology has thus acquired aglobai perspective. The study of any particular regional problem is only of general interest in providing good foundations to investigate general phe nomena. But this same particular ...

We see it every day, yet we understand so little about Earth. From minerals to meteorites, this book covers every aspect of the science of our world. It breaks this complex discipline into four major sections: geology, oceanography, meteorology, and planetary science, and it gives an overview of the processes of each. Complete with interactive experiments and a glossary, this book makes the study of our planet—and other planets— easier than ever.

Learn physical geography at your own paceWhat is atmospheric pressure? How does latitude indicate the type of climate a specific place will have? Where are volcanic eruptions or strong earthquakes most likely to occur? With Physical Geography: A Self-Teaching Guide, you'll discover the answers to these questions and many more about the basics of how our planet operates.Veteran geography teacher Michael Craghan takes you on a guided tour of Earth's surface, explaining our pl...

Constituting more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface, the world’s oceans are so vast as to remain something of an enigma to this day. Navigating these imposing seas and unlocking their secrets is the calling of oceanographers. Their research helps determine what climatic, geologic, and chemical impact oceans have on a variety of organisms. In spite of their magnitude and might, the world’s oceans are not immune to the effects of adverse human activity, such as pollution. This volume survey...

Volcanoes are unquestionably one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring features of the physical world. Our paradoxical fascination with them stems from their majestic beauty and powerful, if sometimes deadly, destructiveness. Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in volcanology since ancient times, some of the mystery surrounding volcanic eruptions remains today. The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes summarizes our present knowledge of volcanoes. Through its thematic organization around the ...

Atlantis, The Antediluvian Worldby Ignatius DonnellyLong known as the classic work on the study of Atlantis, the author puts forth the idea that this was the true place where civilization began. The great philosopher, Plato, mentioned Atlantis, which is said to have been a great civilization that had sunk into the sea and disappeared. Subjects include Plato's Atlantis, destruction of Atlantis, deluge stories throughout history, inherited civilization, old and new world inter...

Oceans account for 50% of the anthropogenic CO2 released into the atmosphere. During the past 15 years an international programme, the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS), has been studying the ocean carbon cycle to quantify and model the biological and physical processes whereby CO2 is pumped from the ocean's surface to the depths of the ocean, where it can remain for hundreds of years. This project is one of the largest multi-disciplinary studies of the oceans ever carried out and this...

The modern geological sciences are characterized by extraordinarily rapid progress, as well as by the development and application of numerous new and refined methods,most of them handling an enormous amount of data available from all the continents and oceans. Given this state of affairs, it seams inevitable that many students and professionals tend to become experts in relatively narrow fields and there by are in danger of losing a broad view of current knowledge. The abun dance of new bo...

1 2 J. H. SCHROEDER and B. H. PURSER 1 Introduction A symposium convened during the Vth International Coral Reef Congress in Papeete, Tahiti, 1985, encouraged the editors to assemble this volume of case studies by participating and, especially, by nonparticipating scientists. An attempt was made to include case studies from various regions and geological periods, carried out on various scales from regional to ultrastructural. We hope to present an overall view of reef diagenesis. Although ...

Major structural features are used in this study to reconstruct the links which existed between North America, Europe and Africa before the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. The synthesis of geophysical and geochemical data as well as geological observations allows the recognition of the original geometry of the Grenvillian, Cadomian, Caledonian, Ligerian-Acadian and Hercynian foldbelts and the identification of ancient plate sutures. The reader will find a wealth of information based n...

This comprehensive book contains contributions from specialists who provide a complete status update along with outstanding issues encompassing different topics related to deep-sea mining. Interest in exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals is seeing a revival due to diminishing grades and increasing costs of processing of terrestrial minerals as well as availability of several strategic metals in seabed mineral resources; it therefore becomes imperative to take stock of various ...

Key biogeochemical events in the ocean take place in less than a second, are studied in experiments lasting a few hours, and determine cycles that last over seasons or even years. Models of the controlling processes thus have to take into account these time scales. This book aims at achieving consensus among these controlling processes at all relevant time scales. It helps understand the global carbon cycle including the production and breakdown of solved organic matter and the production,...