Geophysical Continua
Deformation in the Earth's Interior

This graduate textbook in geophysics covers aspects of the Earth's interior that are often treated separately.

B. L. N. Kennett (Author), H.-P. Bunge (Author)

9780521865531, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 June 2008

444 pages
25.3 x 18 x 2.6 cm, 1.01 kg

Geophysical Continua presents a systematic treatment of deformation in the Earth from seismic to geologic time scales, and demonstrates the linkages between different aspects of the Earth's interior that are often treated separately. A unified treatment of solids and fluids is developed to include thermodynamics and electrodynamics, in order to cover the full range of tools needed to understand the interior of the globe. The emphasis throughout the book is on relating seismological observations with interpretations of Earth processes. Physical principles and mathematical descriptions are developed that can be applied to a broad spectrum of geodynamic problems. Incorporating illustrative examples and an introduction to modern computational techniques, this textbook is designed for graduate-level courses in geophysics and geodynamics. It is also a useful reference for practising Earth scientists.

1. Introduction
Part I. Continuum Mechanics in Geophysics: 2. Description of deformation
3. The stress field concept
4. Constitutive relations
5. Linearised elasticity and viscoelasticity
6. Continua under pressure
7. Fluid flow
8. Continuum equations and boundary conditions
Part II. Earth Deformation: 9. From the atomic scale to the continuum
10. Geological deformation
11. Seismology and Earth structure
12. Lithospheric deformation
13. The influence of rheology - asthenosphere to the deep mantle
14. Mantle convection
15. The core and the Earth's dynamo
Appendix. Table of notation
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Earth sciences [RB], Geophysics [PHVG]