Ocean Basins: Their Structure and Evolution (eBook)

Open Open University (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

1998 | 2. Auflage
192 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-0-08-053793-1 (ISBN)

Infos

"This is an invaluable textbook, prepared by the Open University team and designed so that it can be read on its own or as part of the OU course. This second edition has been fully revised and updated including new colour illustrations increasing the striking spread of full colour diagrams throughout the book. The clarity of the text has been improved, providing comprehensive coverage of the evolution of ocean basins and their structure in a clear, concise manner aimed specifically at the student market.

In this second edition the technological advances in fields as diverse as:
- deep-towed instruments for `sniffing' hydrothermal plumes
- mapping the sea-floor by sophisticated sonar techniques
- three-dimensional imaging of crustal structure by seismic tomography
- the use of satellites for navigation, and for making precise measurements of the height of the sea-surface

The first chapters describe the processes that shape the ocean basins, determine the structure and composition of oceanic crust and control the major features of continental margins. How the 'hot springs' of the oceanic ridges cycle chemical elements between seawater and oceanic crust is then explored. Sediment distributions are examined next, to demonstrate how sediments can preserve a record of past climatic and sea-level changes. Finally, the role of the oceans as an integral part of global chemical changes is reviewed.

High quality full colour diagrams
Substantial chapter summaries ideal for revision
Answers, hints and notes for questions at back of the book
"

Inhalt

Cover 1
THE OCEAN BASINS: THEIR STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
ABOUT THIS VOLUME 8
ABOUT THIS SERIES 8
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 10
1.1 MAPPING THE OCEANS 10
1.2 MAPPING THE OCEAN FLOORS 18
1.3 UNDERWATER GEOLOGY 27
1.4 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1 30
CHAPTER 2. THE SHAPE OF OCEAN BASINS 31
2.1 THE MAIN FEATURES OF OCEAN BASINS 34
2.2 CONTINENTAL MARGINS 35
2.3 OCEAN RIDGES 40
2.4 TRANSFORM FAULTS AND FRACTURE ZONES 43
2.5 THE DEEP OCEAN FLOOR 46
2.6 SATELLITE BATHYMETRY- A CASE STUDY 50
2.7 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 2 57
CHAPTER 3. THE EVOLUTION OF OCEAN BASINS 60
3.1 THE EVOLUTION OF OCEAN BASINS 60
3.2 THE BIRTH OF AN OCEAN 63
3.3 THE MAJOR OCEAN BASINS 67
3.4 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 3 72
CHAPTER 4. THE STRUCTURE AND FORMATION OF OCEANIC LITHOSPHERE 73
4.1 THE FORMATION OF OCEANIC LITHOSPHERE 76
4.2 SEGMENTATION OF OCEANIC SPREADING AXES 88
4.3 SEAMOUNTS AND VOLCANIC ISLANDS 97
4.4 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4 99
CHAPTER 5. HYDROTHERMAL CIRCULATION IN OCEANIC CRUST 101
5.1 THE NATURE OF HYDROTHERMAL CIRCULATION 103
5.2 CHEMICAL CHANGES DURING HYDROTHERMAL CIRCULATION 105
5.3 BLACK SMOKERS– AN EXERCISE IN PREDICTION 111
5.4 THE EXTENT OF HYDROTHERMAL ACTIVITY 117
5.5 MASS TRANSFER BY HYDROTHERMAL CIRCULATION 125
5.6 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 5 127
CHAPTER 6. PALAEOCEANOGRAPHY AND SEA-LEVEL CHANGES 129
6.1 THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEDIMENTS 129
6.2 CHANGES IN SEA-LEVEL 134
6.3 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 6 154
CHAPTER 7. THE BROADER PICTURE 156
7.1 THE GLOBAL CYCLE 156
7.2 SOME RATES COMPARED 162
7.3 SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 7 163
APPENDIX: THE STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN 165
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING 166
ANSWERS AND COMMENTS TO QUESTIONS 167
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 184
INDEX 186

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 26.1.1998
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geophysik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Hydrologie / Ozeanografie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie
• Themenwelt: Technik
• ISBN-10: 0-08-053793-6 / 0080537936
• ISBN-13: 978-0-08-053793-1 / 9780080537931