Making Of The Earth: Geological Forces That Shape Our Planet

Making of the Earth geologic forces that shape our planet making of the earth geologic forces that shape our planet Jon erickson Foreword by Donald R. Coates, Ph.D. MAKING OF THE EARTH Geologic Forces That Shape Our Planet Copyright © 2000 by Jon Erickson All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. 11 Penn Plaza New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Erickson, Jon, 1948– Making of the earth : geologic forces that shape our planet / by Jon Erickson p. cm. — (The living earth) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-4276-4 1. Geodynamics. I.Title QE501 .E65 2000 551.41—dc21 00-03943 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions or sales promotions. Please contact our Special Sales Department at 212/967-8800 or 800/322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text design by Cathy Rincon Cover design by Nora Wertz Illustrations by Jeremy Eagle and Dale Dryer, © Facts On File Printed in the United States of America VB Hermitage 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. CONTENTS Tables Acknowledgments Foreword Introduction 1 THE BIRTH OF CONTINENTS: THE FORMATION OF CONTINENTAL CRUST Continental Crust ■ Continental Shields ■ Stable Cratons Terranes ■ Continental Rifts vii ix xi xiii ■ Exotic 1 2 TECTONIC PROCESSES: THE SHAPING OF THE PLANET Global Tectonics ■ Volcanoes As Builders ■ Earthquakes As Destroyers ■ Earth Movements • Erosion ■ Sedimentation 25 3 MOUNTAIN RANGES: LANDFORMS CREATED BY CRUSTAL UPLIFT Historic Mountain Ranges ■ Mountain Building ■ Folded Mountains ■ Crystalline Mountains ■ Fault-Block Mountains 45 4 VOLCANIC TERRAIN: LANDFORMS CREATED BY VOLCANISM The Ring of Fire ■ Volcanic Structures ■ The World’s Hot Spots ■ Volcanic Calderas ■ Crater Lakes ■ Fumaroles and Geysers 70 contents 5 RIVER COURSES: LANDFORMS CREATED BY FLOWING WATER River Basins ■ Stream Deposits ■ Drainage Patterns ■ Canyons and Valleys ■ Floodplains ■ Flood Effects 6 COASTAL GEOGRAPHY: LANDFORMS CREATED BY WAVE ACTION Coastal Deposits ■ Sea Cliff Erosion ■ Beach Erosion ■ Wave Action ■ Coastal Subsidence ■ Coastal Inundation Barrier Reefs 94 ■ 120 7 DESERT FEATURES: LANDFORMS CREATED BY BLOWING SAND Arid Regions ■ Desert Geography ■ Desertification ■ Dust Storms ■ Wind Erosion ■ Sand Dunes ■ Loess Deposits 141 8 ARCTIC GEOLOGY: LANDFORMS CREATED BY ARCTIC CONDITIONS Arctic Tundra ■ Permafrost ■ Polygonal Ground ■ Greenland and Iceland ■ The Antarctic ■ Ice Streams 162 9 GLACIAL LANDSCAPES: LANDFORMS CREATED BY GLACIERS Glacial Erosion ■ Glaciated Valleys ■ Cirques and Aretes ■ Glacial Lakes and Kettles ■ Glacial Erratics ■ Tillites and Moraines ■ Drumlins and Eskers ■ Kames and Varves 182 10 UNIQUE LANDFORMS: LA