Deformation-enhanced Fluid Transport in the Earth's Crust and Mantle


Book Description

30% discount for members of The Mineralogical Society of Britain and Ireland The movement of fluids through rocks has profound consequences for the transport of heat and matter within the Earth. Recently, considerable effort has been expended in determining the mechanisms and pathways of geological fluid flow, with much of this research concentrated on the effects of deformation on rock permeability. Although it is well known that fractures can act as conduits for fluid transport (as evidenced by abundant mineral-fined veins and sheet-like igneous intrusions), the role of ductile deformation has now been recognised as an important factor controlling rock permeability in environments as diverse as the mantle, the deep crust, and shallow crustal shear zones. This book brings together review and research articles united by the theme of deformation-enhanced fluid transport, with the aim of emphasizing the many common roots of this important body of work. Subjects covered include the movement of basaltic melts in the mantle; the segregation, ascent and emplacement of granitic melts in the crust; the flow through the crust of volatile fluids produced during metamorphic events; and the movement of aqueous fluids through fractured rocks near the Earth's surface. Deformation-Enhanced Fluid Transport in the Earth's Crust and Mantle will appeal to all geoscientists interested in the movement of fluids through the Earth. It will prove an invaluable reference work for those working in the field and will provide i useful introduction to this wide-ranging and rapidly evolving area of research for non-specialists.




Rock Damage and Fluid Transport, Part II


Book Description

Mechanical properties and fluid transport in rocks are intimately linked as deformation of a solid rock matrix immediately affects the pore space and permeability. Part I of this topical volume covers mainly the nucleation and evolution of crack damage in rocks, new or modified techniques to measure rock fracture toughness and a discussion of upscaling techniques relating mechanical and fluid transport behaviour in rocks at different spatial scales.




Origin of the Earth and Moon


Book Description

The age-old question of how our home planet and its satellite originated has in recent times undergone a minor revolution. The emergence of the "giant impact theory" as the most successful model for the origin of the Moon has been difficult to reconcile with some aspects of the Earth, and the development of an integrated model for the origin of the Earth-Moon system has been difficult for this reason. However, recent technical advances in experimental and isotopic work, together with intensified interest in the modeling of planetary dynamics, have produced a wealth of new results requiring a rethinking of models for the origin of the Earth and Moon. This book is intended to serve as a resource for those scientists working closely in this field, while at the same time it provides enough balance and depth to offer an introduction for students or technically minded general readers. Its thirty chapters address isotopic and chemical constraints on accretion, the dynamics of terrestrial planet formation, the impact-triggered formation of the Earth-Moon system, differentiation of the Earth and Moon, the origin of terrestrial volatiles, and conditions on the young Earth and Moon. Covering such subjects as the history and origin of the Moon's orbit, water on the Earth, and the implications of Earth-Moon interactions for terrestrial climate and life, the book constitutes a state-of-the-art overview of the most recent investigations in the field. Although many advances have been made in our ability to evaluate competing models of the formation of the Earth-Moon system, there are still many gaps in our understanding. This book makes great strides toward closing those gaps by highlighting the extensive progress that has been made and pointing toward future research.




Evolution and Differentiation of the Continental Crust


Book Description

Summary of recent research covering experimental methods and numerical modelling, for graduate students and researchers.




A Practical Guide to Rock Microstructure


Book Description

Rock microstructures provide clues for the interpretation of rock history. A good understanding of the physical or structural relationships of minerals and rocks is essential for making the most of more detailed chemical and isotopic analyses of minerals. Ron Vernon discusses the basic processes responsible for the wide variety of microstructures in igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic and deformed rocks, using high-quality colour illustrations. He discusses potential complications of interpretation, emphasizing pitfalls, and focussing on the latest techniques and approaches. Opaque minerals (sulphides and oxides) are referred to where appropriate. The comprehensive list of relevant references will be useful for advanced students wishing to delve more deeply into problems of rock microstructure. Senior undergraduate and graduate students of mineralogy, petrology and structural geology will find this book essential reading, and it will also be of interest to students of materials science.




Rheology and Deformation of the Lithosphere at Continental Margins


Book Description

Traditionally, investigations of the rheology and deformation of the lithosphere (the rigid or mechanically strong outer layer of the Earth, which contains the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle) have taken place at one scale in the laboratory and at an entirely different scale in the field. Laboratory experiments are generally restricted to centimeter-sized samples and day- or year-length times, while geological processes occur over tens to hundreds of kilometers and millions of years. The application of laboratory results to geological systems necessitates extensive extrapolation in both temporal and spatial scales, as well as a detailed understanding of the dominant physical mechanisms. The development of an understanding of large-scale processes requires an integrated approach. This book explores the current cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in lithospheric rheology and provides a broad summary of the rheology and deformation of the continental lithosphere in both extensional and compressional settings. Individual chapters explore contemporary research resulting from laboratory, observational, and theoretical experiments.




Numerical Modelling and Analysis of Fluid Flow and Deformation of Fractured Rock Masses


Book Description

Our understanding of the subsurface system of the earth is becoming increasingly more sophisticated both at the level of the behaviour of its components (solid, liquid and gas) as well as their variations in space and time. The implementation of coupled models is essential for the understanding of an increasing number of natural phenomena and in predicting human impact on these.The growing interest in the relation between fluid flow and deformation in subsurface rock systems that characterise the upper crust has led to increasingly specialized knowledge in many branches of earth sciences and engineering. A multidisciplinary subject dealing with deformation and fluid flow in the subsurface system is emerging.While research in the subject area of faulting, fracturing and fluid flow has led to significant progress in many different areas, the approach has tended to be "reductionist", i.e. involving the isolation and simplification of phenomena so that they may be treated as single physical processes. The reality is that many processes operate together within subsurface systems, and this is particularly true for fluid flow and deformation of fractured rock masses. The aim of this book is to begin to explore how advances in numerical modelling can be applied to understanding the complex phenomena observed in such systems.Although mainly based on original research, the book also includes the fundamental principles and practical methods of numerical modelling, in particular distinct element methods. This volume explores the principles of numerical modelling and the methodologies for some of the most important problems, in addition to providing practical models with detailed discussions on various topics.




The Genesis Flood Revisited


Book Description

Modeled after the 1961 ground-breaking book The Genesis Flood by Drs. Whitcomb and Morris, this detailed work builds on that classic volume with new insights from decades of work by the author, Dr. Andrew Snelling, and numerous colleagues. This recent revolution in geology and the explosion in geological research have established an even firmer basis for understanding the biblical Flood with a God-honoring foundation — the absolute authority and inerrancy of God’s Word. Examine details of the Creation Week as it builds a solid scriptural case for the Flood’s catastrophic nature and global extent. Find decisive answers to many questions about the Flood and Noah’s Ark, its construction, and the animals taken onboard. Delve deeply into astonishing geological details that unfold from the early chapters of Genesis, including the Creation Week and the pre-Flood world. Explore detailed evidence and a concise, informative 30-page color section with diagrams, maps, and more! Dr. Snelling jettisons the faulty evolutionary-uniformitarian assumptions used by most geologists and instead, interprets compelling new geological and observed field data within the biblical framework for the earth’s history. He also demonstrates that fossils were catastrophically buried in sedimentary layers being deposited rapidly on a global scale on the continental plates derived from the violent rifting apart of the original supercontinent. His work demolishes radiometric dating, the icon of the millions of years dogma, and builds a thoroughly powerful case for a young earth that explains many geological features such as varves, evaporites, coal, oil, chalk, granites, and more that biblical skeptics sadly have used to scoff at God’s Word. Discover the powerful truth behind the earth’s most enduring mysteries!




Timescales of Magmatic Processes


Book Description

Quantifying the timescales of current geological processes is critical for constraining the physical mechanisms operating on the Earth today. Since the Earth’s origin 4.55 billion years ago magmatic processes have continued to shape the Earth, producing the major reservoirs that exist today (core, mantle, crust, oceans and atmosphere) and promoting their continued evolution. But key questions remain. When did the core form and how quickly? How are magmas produced in the mantle, and how rapidly do they travel towards the surface? How long do magmas reside in the crust, differentiating and interacting with the host rocks to yield the diverse set of igneous rocks we see today? How fast are volcanic gases such as carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere? This book addresses these and other questions by reviewing the latest advances in a wide range of Earth Science disciplines: from the measurement of short-lived radionuclides to the study of element diffusion in crystals and numerical modelling of magma behaviour. It will be invaluable reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as igneous petrologists, mineralogists and geochemists involved in the study of igneous rocks and processes.




Tectonic Faults


Book Description

Scientists examine tectonic faulting on all scales--from seismic fault slip to the formation of mountain ranges--and discuss its connection to a wide range of global phenomena, including long-term climate change and evolution. Tectonic faults are sites of localized motion, both at the Earth's surface and within its dynamic interior. Faulting is directly linked to a wide range of global phenomena, including long-term climate change and the evolution of hominids, the opening and closure of oceans, and the rise and fall of mountain ranges. In Tectonic Faults, scientists from a variety of disciplines explore the connections between faulting and the processes of the Earth's atmosphere, surface, and interior. They consider faults and faulting from many different vantage points--including those of surface analysts, geochemists, material scientists, and physicists--and in all scales, from seismic fault slip to moving tectonic plates. They address basic issues, including the imaging of faults from Earth's surface to the base of the lithosphere and deeper, the structure and rheology of fault rocks, and the role of fluids and melt on the physical properties of deforming rock. They suggest strategies for understanding the interaction of faulting with topography and climate, predicting fault behavior, and interpreting the impacts on the rock record and the human environment. Using an Earth Systems approach, Tectonic Faults provides a new understanding of feedback between faulting and Earth's atmospheric, surface, and interior processes, and recommends new approaches for advancing knowledge of tectonic faults as an integral part of our dynamic planet.