Mantle convection for geologists / Geoffrey F. Davies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Davies, Geoffrey F. (Geoffrey Frederick), author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Plate tectonics.

Plumes (Fluid dynamics).

Heat--Convection.

Heat.

Earth (Planet)--Mantle.

Earth (Planet).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vii, 232 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Mantle convection is the fundamental agent driving many of the geological features observed at the Earth's surface, including plate tectonics and plume volcanism. Yet many Earth scientists have an incomplete understanding of the process. This book describes the physics and fluid dynamics of mantle convection, explaining what it is, how it works, and how to quantify it in simple terms. It assumes no specialist background: mechanisms are explained simply and the required basic physics is fully reviewed and explained with minimal mathematics. The distinctive forms that convection takes in the Earth's mantle are described within the context of tectonic plates and mantle plumes, and implications are explored for geochemistry and tectonic evolution. Common misconceptions and controversies are addressed - providing a straightforward but rigorous explanation of this key process for students and researchers across a variety of geoscience disciplines.

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Context

3. Why moving plates?

4. Solid, yielding mantle

5. Convection

6. The plate mode of convection

7. The plume mode of convection

8. Perspective

9. Evolution and tectonics

10. Mantle chemical evolution

11. Assimilating mantle convection into geology

Appendix A. Exponential growth and decay

Appendix B. Thermal evolution details

Appendix C. Chemical evolution details.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-107-21502-1

0-511-99422-2

9786613050168

1-283-05016-1

0-511-99304-8

0-511-98922-9

0-511-98744-7

0-511-97341-1

0-511-99101-0

OCLC:

700706211