Year by year the Earth sciences grow more diverse, with an inevitable increase in the degree to which rampant specialization isolates the practitioners of an ever larger number of sub fields. An increasing emphasis on sophisticated mathematics, physics and chemistry as well as the use of advanced technology have. set up barriers often impenetrable to the uninitiated. Ironically, the potential value of many specialities for other, often non-contiguous once has also increased. What is at the present time quiet, unseen work in a remote corner of our discipline, may tomorrow enhance, even revitalize some entirely different area. The rising flood of research reports has drastically cut the time we have available for free reading. The enormous proliferation of journals expressly aimed at small, select audiences has raised the threshold of access to a large part of the literature so much that many of us are unable to cross it. This, most would agree, is not only unfortunate but downright dangerous, limiting by sheer bulk of paper or difficulty of comprehension, the flow of information across the Earth sciences because, after all it is just one earth that we all study, and cross fertilization is the key to progress. If one knows where to obtain much needed data or inspiration, no effort is too great. It is when we remain unaware of its existence (perhaps even in the office next door) that stagnation soon sets in.

This book introduces the reader to the principles of terrrane analysis, and describes how accretion tectonics relates to classic plate tectonics theory and what this represents in terms of mountain building and continental growth processes. A forensic-like investigation of continental geology is detailed, integrating many different sub-disciplines of the Earth Sciences. The concepts outlined have a practical bent and help to explain the nature and occurrences of petroleum and metallic mineral deposits.

This book describes the tectonic landforms resulting from major internal and external forces acting on the outer layers of solid bodies throughout the Solar System. It presents a detailed survey of tectonic structures at a range of length scales found on Mercury, Venus, the Moon, Mars, the outer planet satellites, and asteroids. A diverse range of models for the sources of tectonic stresses acting on silicate and icy crusts is outlined, comparing processes acting throughout the Solar System. Rheological and mechanical properties of planetary crusts and lithospheres are discussed to understand how and why tectonic stresses manifest themselves differently on various bodies. Results from fault population data are assessed in detail. The book provides methods for mapping and analysing planetary tectonic features, and is illustrated with diagrams and spectacular images returned by manned and robotic spacecraft. It forms an essential reference for researchers and students in planetary geology and tectonics.

The crust and upper mantle structure beneath a single, three-component broadband seismic station may be determined using cnergy from distant earthquakes. Features such as the depth of the seismic Moho, the abruptness of the change in seismic velocity across the Moho. the velocity profile through the crust and the seismic velocity of the upper mantle may be found using receiver function teehniques. Waveforms are analysed which contain energy arising from the interaction 01 incoming signals with the Earth structure beneath the receiving station. Seismic characteristies of the deep crust are olten continuous or slowly varying across a single tcrrane and. moreover. show sudden contrasts aeross tcrrane and other major tectonic boundaries. Such techniques are, therefore, appropriate tools in the exploration of deep structure and. henee, in the understanding of large-seale eontinentalassembly. They complement geologieal and geochronologieal investigations of surface rocks by providing the (hird spatiai dimension. In regions of no surface basemcnt exposure, scismic and other gcophysieal methods provide the only means of mapping the lateral extent of a given terrane and/or tracing province boundaries. Receiver function methods are presented here in the context of terrane tectonics with illustrative examples from former Gondwanan provinees and locations on the Pacific margin.