GS 831: Global Tectonics
Syllabus
Global Tectonic Framework; Plates and Plate motions, measurement of relative plate motions, Instantaneous and finite rotations, Triple junctions. Continental reconstructions; Euler’s theorem, Paleogeographic reconstructions based on geological and geophysical data sets. Oceanic spreading ridges- variation in crustal and thermal structure between slow- and fast- spreading ridges, oceanic transform faults and fracture zones.
Continental rifts- characteristics, classification and origin. Evolution of continental margins – volcanic and non-volcanic margins.
Texts/References
- Fowler, C.M.R., Solid Earth: An introduction to Global Geophysics, 2nd Edn.,Cambridge University Press, 2005
- Turcotte, D.L. and Schubert, G., Geodynamics, Cambridge University Press, 2002
- Schubert, G., Watts, A.B., (Eds.), Crust and Lithospheric Dynamics, Treatise on Geophysics, Vol. 6, Elsevier, 2007.
Lowrie William, Fundamentals of Geophysics, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007 - Kearey Philip, Keith A. Klepeis, Frederick J. Vine, Global Tectonics, Blackwell Science, Oxford, 2009