Orogenesis
The Making of Mountains

A valuable introduction to the processes of mountain belt formation and summary of orogenic research, for advanced students and researchers.

Michael R. W. Johnson (Author), Simon L. Harley (Author)

9780521765565, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 8 March 2012

398 pages, 130 b/w illus. 12 colour illus. 5 tables
25.2 x 19.4 x 2.1 cm, 1.05 kg

'… a very fresh look at the problems of orogenesis. It can serve as an ultimate reference for those who are specialized in studies of this phenomenon … very important for the professionals as an exceptional (and updated!) synthesis. … an excellent gift for all university lecturers in tectonics, petrology, and general geology.' Zentralblatt fu?r Geologie und Pala?ontologie

Orogenesis, the process of mountain building, occurs when two tectonic plates collide – either forcing material upwards to form mountain belts such as the Alps or Himalayas or causing one plate to be subducted below the other, resulting in volcanic mountain chains such as the Andes. Integrating the approaches of structural geology and metamorphism, this book provides an up-to-date overview of orogenic research and an introduction to the physico-chemical properties of mountain belts. Global examples are explored, the interactioning roles of temperature and deformation in the orogenic process are reviewed, and important new concepts such as channel flow are explained. This book provides a valuable introduction to this fast-moving field for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of structural geology, plate tectonics and geodynamics, and will also provide a vital overview of research for academics and researchers working in related fields including petrology geochemistry and sedimentology.

Preface
1. Major features of the Earth and plate tectonics
2. Driving mechanisms for plates, slab retreat and advance, a reason for orogenesis
3. Physical and chemical principles: rock deformation and heat production in the lithosphere
4. Large scale features of orogenic belts: thrusts, folds, orogenic wedges
5. Evolution of orogens
6. Lateral spreading of orogens: foreland propagation, channel flow and weak zones in the crust
7. Orogenic metamorphism
8. The erosion, uplift and exhumation of orogens
9. The sedimentary history of foreland basins
10. Deep structure: the support of mountains and the importance of phase changes
11. Mountains and climate
12. Precambrian orogenesis
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Geology & the lithosphere [RBG], Earth sciences [RB], Earth sciences, geography, environment, planning [R]