The Geology Companion Essentials for Understanding the Earth

• Main Authors: Prost, Gary L., Prost, Benjamin P.
• Format: eBook Book
• Language: English
• Published: Boca Raton Routledge 2017; CRC Press; CRC Press LLC
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Benjamin P. Prost; Climate change; ENVIROnetBASE; environmental hazards; ENVIRONMENTALENGINEERINGnetBASE; ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCEnetBASE; Gary L. Prost; Geology; Geology - Earth Sciences; GEOnetBASE; Groundwater; Mineralogy; Minerals; Minerals > Collection and preservation; Minerals, Petroleum; Oceans; Rocks; Rocks > Collection and preservation; SCI-TECHnetBASE; STMnetBASE; Great Oxygenation Event; Oceanic Spreading Centers; Oceanic Crust; Siccar Point; Kaibab Plateau; Continental Volcanic Arcs; Gros Morne National Park; Mountain Building Event; Coast Range Ophiolite; Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation; North American Tectonic Plate; Petroleum Geologists; Plagioclase Feldspar; Alkaline Igneous Rocks; Geological Survey Bulletin; Potentiometric Surface Map; Source Rock; Deep Sea Trenches; Zion National Park; Structure Contour Map; Algal Organic Matter; Mineral Alteration Maps; Mid-ocean Ridges; Volcanic Island Arcs; Rob Lavinsky

This practical guidebook provides a basic grounding in the principles of geology and explains how to apply them. Using this book, readers will be able to figure out whether they are standing on an ancient seafloor, coal swamp, or sand dune. They will be able to determine the geologic hazards in thei...

Table of Contents:

• Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Authors -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Geology Matters -- Reading the Rocks -- Hypothesis and Theory -- Facts -- Taking Notes -- Tools of the Trade -- "Rules of the Road" for Collecting -- Why This Book? -- References -- Chapter 2: Minerals -- All about Crystals -- Mineral Properties -- Color -- Streak -- Luster -- Transparency -- Cleavage -- Fracture -- Hardness -- Specific Gravity -- Mineral Identification -- Special Powers of Crystals -- Common Minerals -- Mineral Collecting: Knowing Where to Look -- A Sampling of Mineral Collecting Field Guides -- References -- Chapter 3: Rocks -- Sedimentary Rock -- Igneous Rock -- Volcanic (Extrusive) Rocks -- Plutonic (Intrusive) Rocks -- Plutonic Structures -- Metamorphic Rock -- Metamorphic Rock Types -- What Rocks Tell You -- A Sampling of Geologic Guidebooks -- Maps -- Chapter 4: Geologic Principles -- Principle of Original Horizontality -- Principle of Superposition -- Unconformities -- Types of Unconformities -- Principle of Stratigraphic Correlation and Lateral Continuity -- Principle of Faunal Succession -- Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships -- Principle of Inclusions -- Principle of Uniformitarianism -- References -- Chapter 5: Deep Time -- The Concept of Deep Time -- How to Tell the Age of Rocks: Relative and Absolute Dating -- Age of the Earth and the Solar System (and How Long Earth Will Last) -- References -- Chapter 6: Earth History -- The Geologic Time Scale -- Key Events of the Precambrian Eon -- The Hadean: Formation of the Earth, Moon, and Atmosphere -- The Archaean: Beginning of Life and the Oldest Rocks -- The Proterozoic: Photosynthesis, the Great Oxygenation Event, and Snowball Earth -- Key Events of the Paleozoic Era -- An Explosion of Life -- First Land Plants
• Remaining Reserves and Peak Oil -- References -- Chapter 17: Climate Change -- What We Know -- A Word about Models -- Lots of Moving Parts -- Role of the Sun -- The Atmosphere, Aerosols, and Greenhouse Gases -- Carbon Dioxide -- Methane -- Water Vapor -- Complex Interactions -- Role of the Oceans -- Currents -- The Ocean-Atmosphere Linked System -- Ocean Models -- The Land Surface -- Ice Sheets -- The Biosphere -- To Summarize -- The Worst-Case Scenario? -- References -- Chapter 18: So You Want to Be a Geologist -- What Does a Geologist Do? -- Resource Geology -- Environmental Geology -- Geological Engineering -- Marine Geology -- Geochemistry -- Geophysics -- Paleontology -- Geological Surveys and Government Agencies -- Academia -- Other Geologic Specialties -- Education Requirements -- High School -- University -- Undergraduate School -- Field Camp -- Graduate School -- Internships -- Professional Geologist Certification -- Starting Your Career -- Sources of Information -- References -- Index
• Where Do They Happen? -- Causes -- Man-Made Earthquakes -- Living in Earthquake Country -- Sources of Earthquake and Tsunami Information -- Landslides and Downslope Mass Movements -- Living in Landslide Country -- Sources of Landslide Information -- Volcanoes -- Living in Volcano Country -- Some "Dormant" Volcanoes Aren't -- Sources of Volcano Hazard and Safety Information -- Flooding -- Living in Flood Country -- Sources of Flood Information -- Subsidence, Sinkholes, and Expanding Soils -- Living in Subsidence Country -- Sources of Subsidence, Sinkhole, and Swelling Soil Information -- Natural Pollution -- Sources of Information on Natural Pollution -- It Came from Outer Space! -- Sources of Information on Impacts -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 13: Groundwater -- The Hydrologic Cycle -- Finding Groundwater -- Groundwater Ownership -- Groundwater Mining and Sustainability -- Groundwater Contamination -- Frac'ing and Groundwater -- Hot Springs and Geothermal Energy -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 14: Oceans -- In the Beginning… -- How Deep Are They? -- What's Down There? The Ocean Floor -- The Continental Shelf -- The Deep Seafloor -- Trenches -- Mid-Ocean Ridges -- Reference -- Chapter 15: Mineral Resources -- Metals -- Exploring for Mineral Deposits -- Energy Minerals -- Uranium -- Nuclear Waste Repositories -- Coal -- Nonmetallic Economic Minerals -- Gemstones -- Rare Earth Minerals -- Salt -- Potash -- Phosphates -- Sulfur -- Silica -- Calcium Carbonate -- Sand, Gravel, and Rock -- Building Stone (Dimension Stone) -- References -- Chapter 16: Black Gold (Texas Tea) -- How Is Oil Formed? -- Source Rocks -- Generation, Migration, and Entrapment -- Preservation and Destruction of Hydrocarbons -- Exploring for Hydrocarbons -- What about the Oil Sands? -- Production, Consumption, and the Price of Oil
• First Land Animals -- The Great Extinction -- Key Events of the Mesozoic Era -- Dinosaurs -- Birth of the Atlantic Ocean -- Flowering Plants -- End of the Dinosaurs -- Key Developments of the Cenozoic Era -- Mammals -- Ice Ages -- The Earth We Know -- What the Future Holds -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 7: Fossils -- Seashells on Mountain Tops-The Development of Paleontology -- How Fossils Are Formed and Preserved -- The Fossil's Tale -- Major Categories of Life -- Fossil Hunting -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 8: Evolution -- The Concept of Evolution -- Lamarckian Genetics -- Darwin and Wallace -- Mendel and Inheritance of Traits -- The Tree of Life -- The Large Size of Some Animals -- Ongoing Evolution of Humans -- Extinction -- Origin of Life -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 9: The Changing Face of the Earth-Structure of the Earth, Plate Tectonics, and Mountain Building -- Structure of the Earth -- Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift -- Mountain Building -- Rock Deformation -- Brittle Deformation: Faults, Joints, and Earthquakes -- Ductile Deformation and Folding -- Erosional Highlands -- References and General Reading -- Chapter 10: The Changing Face of the Earth-Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition -- Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition -- Erosional and Depositional Landscapes -- Soil and Agriculture -- References -- Chapter 11: Maps -- Types of Geological Maps -- Standard Geological Maps -- Geological Hazards Maps -- Seismic Hazard Maps -- Paleogeographic Maps -- Soil Maps -- Groundwater or Potentiometric Surface Maps -- Structure Contour Maps -- Mineral Alteration Maps -- Isopach Maps and Overburden Thickness Maps -- A Resource Guide-Where to Find Maps and Imagery -- References -- Chapter 12: Acts of God? Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Other Natural Disasters -- Earthquakes and Tsunamis