Earth as an Evolving Planetary System

Earth as an Evolving Planetary System......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 6
Earth as a Planetary System......Page 16
Structure of the Earth......Page 18
Plate Tectonics......Page 20
Is the Earth Unique?......Page 23
Interacting Earth Systems......Page 24
Further Reading......Page 26
Introduction......Page 28
Crustal Types......Page 29
Continent Size......Page 33
Seismic Crustal Structure......Page 34
Heat Flow......Page 40
Exhumation and Cratonization......Page 45
Processes in the Continental Crust......Page 49
Crustal Composition......Page 51
Crustal Provinces and Terranes......Page 62
Crustal Province and Terrane Boundaries......Page 67
The United Plates of America......Page 68
Supercontinents......Page 69
Further Reading......Page 72
Introduction......Page 74
Ocean Ridges......Page 75
Tectonic Settings Related to Mantle Plumes.......Page 81
Continental Rifts......Page 89
Cratons and Passive Margins......Page 92
Arc Systems......Page 93
Orogens......Page 105
Uncertain Tectonic Settings......Page 112
Mineral and Energy Deposits......Page 122
Plate Tectonics with Time......Page 127
Further Reading......Page 129
Seismic Structure of the Mantle......Page 130
Mantle Upwellings and Geoid Anomalies......Page 133
Temperature Distribution in the Mantle......Page 135
The Lithosphere......Page 137
The Low-Velocity Zone......Page 147
The Transition Zone......Page 148
The Lower Mantle......Page 152
Plate-Driving Forces......Page 155
Mantle Plumes......Page 156
Mantle Geochemical Components......Page 161
Convection in the Mantle......Page 169
Further Reading......Page 175
Introduction......Page 176
The Inner Core......Page 177
Composition of the Core......Page 179
Age of the Core......Page 181
Generation of the Earth\'s Magnetic Field......Page 182
Origin of the Core......Page 187
Where Do We Go From Here?......Page 188
Further Reading......Page 189
General Features of the Atmosphere......Page 190
The Primitive Atmosphere......Page 192
The Secondary Atmosphere......Page 193
The Carbon Cycle......Page 197
The Precambrian Atmosphere......Page 199
The Origin of Oxygen......Page 200
Phanerozoic Atmospheric History......Page 211
The Oceans......Page 213
Paleoclimates......Page 225
Conclusions......Page 235
Further Reading......Page 236
Origin of Life......Page 238
First Fossils......Page 248
Origin of Photosynthesis......Page 250
Tree of Life......Page 251
Stromatolites......Page 253
Appearance of Eukaryotes......Page 254
Origin of Metazoans......Page 255
Neoproterozoic Multicellular Organisms......Page 256
Evolution of Phanerozoic Life Forms......Page 259
Mass Extinctions......Page 260
Further Reading......Page 277
Earth\'s Thermal History......Page 280
Earth\'s Primitive Crust......Page 281
Earth\'s Oldest Rocks and Minerals......Page 285
Crustal Origin......Page 291
How Continents Grew......Page 292
Continental Growth Rates......Page 297
Secular Changes in the Crust......Page 307
Secular Changes in the Mantle......Page 317
Evolution of the Crust–Mantle System......Page 325
Further Reading......Page 328
Introduction......Page 330
Supercontinent Cycle......Page 331
Supercontinents, Mantle Plumes, and Earth Systems......Page 342
Mantle-Plume Events Through Time......Page 346
What Causes a Mantle-Plume Event?......Page 362
Mantle-Plume Events and Supercontinents......Page 365
Further Reading......Page 369
Introduction......Page 370
Members of the Solar System......Page 371
Chemical Composition of the Earth and the Moon......Page 396
Age and Early Evolution of the Earth......Page 398
Comparative Evolution of the Atmospheres of the Earth, Venus, and Mars......Page 400
Condensation and Accretion of the Planets......Page 403
Origin of the Moon......Page 411
Earth\'s Rotational History......Page 416
Comparative Planetary Evolution.......Page 417
Further Reading......Page 420
References......Page 422
Index......Page 458
Color Plate Section......Page 464