Continental Drift

1st Edition, Volume 3 - October 22, 2013
Editor: S. K. Runcorn
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 3 2 - 8 2 0 9 - 1

Continental Drift brings together within one volume a discussion of the geophysical evidence relating to horizontal movements in the earth's crust in its widest sense. This is not… Read more

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Continental Drift brings together within one volume a discussion of the geophysical evidence relating to horizontal movements in the earth's crust in its widest sense. This is not the time for a reappraisal of the work of German meteorologist Alfred Wegener, but it is hoped that this volume will stimulate a serious interest in a subject formerly considered by many earth scientists as already closed. The book contains 12 chapters and begins with a discussion of paleomagnetic evidence for continental drift and its geophysical cause. This is followed by separate chapters on of paleoclimatic evidence on the paleomagnetic latitudes given by paleomagnetism; studies of earthquake mechanism; movements on major transcurrent faults; and magnetic evidence for horizontal displacements in the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Subsequent chapters deal with thermal convection in the earth's mantle; the theory of convection in spherical shells and its application to the problem of thermal convection in the earth's mantle; mountain-building hypotheses; and investigations of the deep-sea floor.

List of Contributors

Preface

Chapter 1 Palaeomagnetic Evidence for Continental Drift and its Geophysical Cause

References

Chapter 2 Palaeoclimatology and Continental Drift

I. Introduction

II. Sedimentary Climatic Indicators

III. Uniformitarianism and the Study of Palaeoclimates

IV. Distribution of Cainozoic Climatic Indicators

V. Discussion of Cainozoic Climate

VI. Distribution of Climatic Indicators during the Mesozoic

VII. Distribution of Palaeozoic Climatic Indicators

VIII. Palaeomagnetism and Palaeoclimatology

IX. Conclusions

References

Chapter 3 Movements in the Earth's Crust as indicated by Earthquakes

I. Introduction

II. Studies of Earthquake Mechanism

III. Interpretation on the Collapse Model

IV. Interpretation on the Fault Model

V. Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 4 Movements on Major Transcurrent Faults

I. General Considerations

II. Circum-Pacific Shallow Faults

III. Other Large Transcurrent Faults

IV. Deep Faults of the Circum-Pacific Margins

References

Chapter 5 Magnetic Evidence for Horizontal Displacements in the Floor of the Pacific Ocean

References

Chapter 6 Thermal Convection in the Earth's Mantle

I. Introductory and Summary

II. The Constitution of the Mantle

III. Arguments in Favour of Convection Currents in the Mantle

IV. Convection Currents in a Plane Crystalline Layer

V. Spherical Harmonics

VI. Convection Currents in the Crystalline Mantle

VII. Spherical Harmonic Development up to the 31st Order of the Earth's Topography

VIII. Interpretation of the Spherical Harmonic Development of the Topography; Convection Systems in the Mantle; Origin of Continents; Relative Displacements of Continents

References

Chapter 7 The Theory of Convection in Spherical Shells and its Application to the Problem of Thermal Convection in the Earth's Mantle

I. The Geophysical Problem

II. The Mathematical Stability Problem

III. Solution of the Stability Problem

References

Chapter 8 Mountain-Building Hypotheses

I. Introduction

II. Facts to be Accounted for by Theories of Crustal Evolution

III. Diastrophic Forces

IV. Mountain-Building Hypotheses

References

Chapter 9 The Deep-Sea Floor

I. Introduction

II. The Ocean Floor

III. Seismological Evidence for a Difference between the Continental and Oceanic Mantle

IV. Petrography of the Oceans

V. Age of Ocean Basins

VI. Discussion of the Hypotheses of Continental Drift

References

Chapter 10 Ocean-Basin Evolution by Sea-Floor Spreading

I. Introduction

II. Spreading Sea-Floor Concept

III. Implications of the Concept

References

Chapter 11 Comparisons of Pacific and Atlantic Ocean Floors in Relation to Ideas of Continental Displacement

References

Chapter 12 Memories of Alfred Wegener

References

Author Index

Subject Index

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health

Continental Drift

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S. K. Runcorn