Plate Tectonics Continental Drift and Mountain Building

About this book

How are mountains formed? Why are there old and young mountains? Why do the shapes of South America and Africa fit so well together? Why is the Pacific surrounded by a ring of volcanoes and earthquake prone areas while the edges of the Atlantic are relatively peaceful? Frisch and Meschede answer all these questions and more through the presentation and explanation of the geo-dynamic processes upon which the theory of continental drift is based and which have lead to the concept of plate tectonics.

Contents

1. Contractional theory, continental drift and plate tectonics
2 Plate movements and their geometric relationships
3. Continental graben structures
4. Passive continental margins and abyssal plains
5. Mid-ocean ridges
6. Hot spots
7. Subduction zones, island arcs and active continental maragins
8. Transform faults
9. Terranes
10. Early Precambrian plate tectonics
11. Plate tectonics and mountain building
12. Old orogens
13. Young orogens - the Earth's loftiest places

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