Geological History of Britain and Ireland


Book Description

Britain and Ireland have a remarkably varied geology for so small a fragment of continental crust, with a fine rock record back through three billion years of geological time. This history would have been interesting enough if it had been played out on relatively stable continental crust. However, Britain and Ireland have developed at a tectonic crossroads, on crust once traversed by subduction zones and volcanic arcs, continental rifts and mountain belts. The resulting complexity is instructive, fascinating and perplexing. Geological History of Britain and Ireland tells the region's story at a level accessible to undergraduate geologists, as well as to postgraduates, professionals or informed amateurs. This second edition is fully revised and updated, reflecting our continually developing knowledge of the region's geology. Full coverage is again given to the rich Precambrian and Early Palaeozoic history, as well as to later events more relevant to hydrocarbon exploration. The book is an essential starting point for more detailed studies of the regional geology. Additional resources for this book can be found at: http://www.wiley.com/go/woodcock/geologicalhistory




Regional Trends in the Geology of the Appalachian-Caledonian-Hercynian-Mauritanide Orogen


Book Description

The classical Appalachian, Caledonian, Hercynian, and Mauritanide orogens are now only segments of a once-continuous Paleozoic mountain belt which has been fragmented during Mesozoic-Cenozoic formation of the North Atlantic Ocean. These segments are major parts of the countries surrounding the North Atlantic - most of which are members of NATO. The aim of this NATO conference was to evaluate these fragments in terms of their pre-Mesozoic positions, and to attempt a synthesis of their geologic evolution on an international and orogen-wide scale. Geologists who have studied these scattered remnants have been separated by both geography and discipline. Orogen-wide syntheses have beeen attempted in the past by individuals who are specialists not only in discipline but also in geography; therefore, these attempts have not been satisfactory to everyone. This conference brought together the foremost specialists in different disciplines from each country. They attempted to teach other specialists, not only in their own fields, but in other disciplines, about regional variations and particular problems. The resulting international cross-fertilization, both within and between speciaLties, enriched individual workers and helped to provide a multi-disciplinary overview of the orogen.




Volcanism in Antarctica: 200 Million Years of Subduction, Rifting and Continental Break-up


Book Description

This memoir is the first to review all of Antarctica’s volcanism between 200 million years ago and the Present. The region is still volcanically active. The volume is an amalgamation of in-depth syntheses, which are presented within distinctly different tectonic settings. Each is described in terms of (1) the volcanology and eruptive palaeoenvironments; (2) petrology and origin of magma; and (3) active volcanism, including tephrochronology. Important volcanic episodes include: astonishingly voluminous mafic and felsic volcanic deposits associated with the Jurassic break-up of Gondwana; the construction and progressive demise of a major Jurassic to Present continental arc, including back-arc alkaline basalts and volcanism in a young ensialic marginal basin; Miocene to Pleistocene mafic volcanism associated with post-subduction slab-window formation; numerous Neogene alkaline volcanoes, including the massive Erebus volcano and its persistent phonolitic lava lake, that are widely distributed within and adjacent to one of the world’s major zones of lithospheric extension (the West Antarctic Rift System); and very young ultrapotassic volcanism erupted subglacially and forming a world-wide type example (Gaussberg).




Studies in Volcanology


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The Geology of Ireland


Book Description

This text is written for both academics and people who have no prior knowledge of the earth sciences. It offers a geological history of Ireland from the Precambrian era to the present day.