Continental Crust: A Geophysical Approach

The aim of this book is to develop an integrated and balanced picture of today's knowledge of the continental crust. In this context, geophysical arguments dominate throughout the book; whenever possible, the geophysical parameters are related to geological knowledge and reasoning. Relatively little space is given to detailed mathematical expositions and then only to those topics for which it seemed to be unavoidable.

Preface. Acknowledgements. Introduction: Crust, Mantle, Lithosphere, and Asthenosphere. The Crust as the Product of a Planetary Differentiation Process. Collecting Physical Properties of Earth's Crust. Contributions from Laboratory Experiments. The Composition of the Continental Crust. Crustal Structure in Various Geologic Provinces. The Evolution of the Continental Crust. References. Index.