Developments in Geotectonics, Volume 2: Geodynamic Models: An Evaluation and a Synthesis presents the concept of sea-floor spreading and the hypothesis of global plate tectonics. This book provides a basic understanding of the global movements. Organized into eight chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the concept of global plate tectonics, with its additional hypotheses of subduction zones and sea-floor spreading. This text then examines the concept of vertical deformations of the lithosphere and their gravitational spreading. Other chapters consider the analysis of geotectonic processes that is based on some general principles of their mechanics. This book discusses as well the origin of mega-undations in turbulent and laminar flow systems in the lower mantle, where the matter may have a Newtonian viscosity. The final chapter deals with the geodynamics of the Earth's crust as the result of the outward growth of the deep ocean floor from mid-ocean ridges. This book is a valuable resource for geologists, geonomists, and geophysicists.

This user-friendly reference for students and researchers presents the basic mathematical theory, before introducing modelling of key geodynamic processes.

"This memoir brings together results from a multidisciplinary study of the processes that have formed the highest, widest part of the Andean Cordilleran orogenic belt in northern Argentina and Chile. The region features a tectonically erosive forearc, protracted arc magmatism, a high-elevation hinterland plateau and strongly shortened retroarc thrust belt, and a Paleocene-Recent foreland basin system"--

"This Memoir focuses on 7 'turning points' that had specific and lasting impacts on Laurentian evolution: The Neoarchean, characterized by cratonization; the Paleoproterozoic and the initial assembly of Laurentia; the Mesoproterozoic southern margin of Laurentia; the Midcontinent rift and the Grenville orogeny; (5) the Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia; the mid-Paleozoic phases of the Appalachian-Caledonian orogen; and the Jurassic-Paleogene assembly of the North American Cordillerar"--

2Gpa has increased to more than 15. This indicates that subduction of continental fragments to depths of 100-150 km may have played a significant role in the formation of mountain belts. This volume brings together the geochemical, geophysical and geodynamical approaches to study the processes active during ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) tectonics. The collection of papers demarkates the frontier of our understanding of the creation, preservation, and exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks. Audience: This volume will be of interest to any earth scientist interested in ultrahigh pressure processes and the formation and modification of continental crust.

The motion and deformation of rocks are processes of fundamental importance in shaping the Earth, from outer crustal layers to the deep mantle. Reconstructions of the evolution of the Earth therefore require detailed knowledge of the geometry of deformation structures and their relative timing, of the motions leading to deformation structures and of the mechanisms governing these motions. This volume contains a collection of 22 papers on field, experimental and theoretical studies that add to our knowledge of these processes.

The continental crust is our archive of Earth history, and the store of many natural resources; however, many key questions about its formation and evolution remain debated and unresolved: What processed are involved in the formation, differentiation and evolution of continental crust, and how have these changed throughout Earth history?How are plate tectonics, the supercontinent cycle and mantle cooling linked with crustal evolution?What are the rates of generation and destruction of the continental crust through time?How representative is the preserved geological record? A range of approaches are used to address these questions, including field-based studies, petrology and geochemistry, geophysical methods, palaeomagnetism, whole-rock and accessory-phase isotope chemistry and geochronology. Case studies range from the Eoarchaean to Phanerozoic, and cover many different cratons and orogenic belts from across the continents.

Presents a collection of papers discussing various hypotheses and models of planetary plumes.

"This volume brings together a sampling of research addressing issues of continental intraplate earthquakes, including a core of papers from special sessions held at the spring 2004 Joint Assembly of the American and Canadian Geophysical Unions in Montreal. Papers address the broad related topics of the science, hazard, and policy issues of large continental intraplate earthquakes in a worldwide context. One group of papers addresses aspects of the primary scientific issue--where are these earthquakes and what causes them? Answering this question is crucial to determining whether they will continue there or migrate elsewhere. A second group of papers addresses the challenge of assessing the hazard posed by intraplate earthquakes. Although it may be a very long time before the scientific issues are resolved, the progress being made is helping attempts to estimate the probability, size, and shaking of future earthquakes, and the uncertainty of the results. A third group of papers explores the question of how society should mitigate the possible effects of future large continental intraplate earthquakes. Communities around the world face the challenge of deciding how to address this rare, but real, hazard, given the wide range of other societal needs. Continental intraplate earthquakes will remain a challenge to seismologists, earthquake engineers, policy makers, and the public for years to come, but significant progress toward understanding and addressing this challenge is now being made."--Publisher's website.

Geomechanics has a marked impact on the safe and sustainable use of the subsurface. Along with an ongoing demand for hydrocarbon resources there is also a growing emphasis on sustainable subsurface exploitation and development, storage of carbon, hydrogen, energy and (radioactive) waste, as well as sustainable geothermal resource utilization. Such activities are accompanied by an ever-increasing need for higher resolution, fit-for-purpose solutions, workflows and approaches to constrain present-day subsurface stresses and minimize associated uncertainties. Building high fidelity geomechanical-numerical models provides critical input and understanding for diverse engineering designs and construction as well as geoscience applications. Such models greatly contribute towards uncertainty reduction, risk management and risk mitigation during the operational life of a given subsurface development and associated infrastructures (both on and below the surface). This Special Publication contains contributions detailing the latest efforts and perspectives in present-day in-situ stress characterization, prediction and modelling from the borehole to plate-tectonic scale. There is particular emphasis on the uncertainties that are often associated with data and models.