Linkages And Feedbacks In Orogenic Systems

Dedicated to Bob Hatcher, this Memoir explores linkages between tectonic processes through a series of field-, numerical- and laboratory-based studies, concentrating on feedback mechanisms within ancient and evolving orogens by which individual or linked tectonic processes may influence or predetermine the operation of other processes in space and time. Case studies cover a wide range of ancient to modern orogens: the Svecofennian of southern Finland, the Gyeonggi Massif of Korea, the Caledonides of northern Scotland, the Variscan of the East European craton, the Appalachians of the eastern United States, the European Alps and Dinarides, north Cascades of the northwestern United States, and the Himalaya. Emphasis is placed on integration between data sets developed from a wide range of analytical approaches, including: field mapping, seismic reflection profiling, strain analyses, petrology, isotopic dating, and numerical modeling-based studies of thermal evolution associated with tectonic processes such as thrust-related burial and exhumation.

A synthesis of current knowledge on collisional and convergent plate boundaries worldwide Major mountain belts on Earth, such as the Alps, Himalayas, and Appalachians, have been built by compressional tectonic processes during continent-continent and arc-continent collisions. Understanding their formation and evolution is important because of the hazards associated with convergent and collisional plate boundaries, and because these mountain belts contain resources such as precious metals, rare earth elements, oil, gas, and coal. Compressional Tectonics: Plate Convergence to Mountain Building reviews our present-day knowledge of the tectonic evolution of the Alpine-Himalayan and Appalachian belts. Volume highlights include: overview of terminology relating to compressional and contractional tectonics discussion of subduction zone dynamics debates over the timing of the collision and convergence of particular subduction and suture zones examples of the different stages in the development of orogenic belts This book is one of a set of three Tectonic Processes: A Global View The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.

Exploring environmental changes through Earth’s geological history using chemostratigraphy Chemostratigraphy is the study of the chemical characteristics of different rock layers. Decoding this geochemical record across chronostratigraphic boundaries can provide insights into geological history, past climates, and sedimentary processes. Chemostratigraphy Across Major Chronological Boundaries presents state-of-the-art applications of chemostratigraphic methods and demonstrates how chemical signatures can decipher past environmental conditions. Volume highlights include: Presents a global perspective on chronostratigraphic boundaries Describes how different proxies can reveal distinct elemental and isotopic events in the geologic past Examines the Archaean-Paleoproterozoic, Proterozoic-Paleozoic, Paleozoic-Mesozoic, and Mesozoic-Paleogene boundaries Explores cause-and-effect through major, trace, PGE, and REE elemental, stable, and radiogenic isotopes Offers solutions to persistent chemostratigraphic problems on a micro-global scale Geared toward academic and researchgeoscientists, particularly in the fields of sedimentary petrology, stratigraphy, isotope geology, geochemistry, petroleum geology, atmospheric science, oceanography, climate change and environmental science, Chemostratigraphy Across Major Chronological Boundaries offers invaluable insights into environmental evolution and climatic change.

"Spanning eight kilometers of topographic relief, the Himalayan fold-thrust belt in Nepal has accommodated more than 700 km of Cenozoic convergence between the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Rapid tectonic shortening and erosion in a monsoonal climate have exhumed greenschist to upper amphibolite facies rocks along with unmetamorphosed rocks, including a 5-6-km-thick Cenozoic foreland basin sequence. This Special Paper presents new geochronology, multisystem thermochronology, structural geology, and geological mapping of an approximately 37,000 km2 region in midwestern and western Nepal. This work informs enduring Himalayan debates, including how and where to map the Main Central thrust, the geometry of the seismically active basal Himalayan detachment, processes of tectonic shortening in the context of postcollisional India-Asia convergence, and long-term geodynamics of the orogenic wedge"--Publisher's website