302-Lecture 2

General Outline

Tectonics and Landforms at Margins and Interiors

 

I.   Endogenic Processes

a.  terminology

II.   Earth’s interior

a.     physical, structural and chemical properties

b.     structure: lithosphere and asthenosphere

c.     continental crust, oceanic crust and mantle

III.  Crustal rock abundance

       a.  examples

IV. Plate tectonics

a.  Plate margin interactions: convergence, divergence, transforms

b.  Passive and active continental margins

c.  Evidence for continental drift

1.     magnetic reversals

2.     seafloor age

3.     current motion

d.  Plate collision and suture zones

e.  Growth of continental landmass by volcanic/plutonic activity and accretion

f.      Spatial pattern of earthquakes

g.     Rifting and formation of new crust

h.     Models of lithospheric plate driving forces

V.    Buoyancy and Isostacy

a.     concept and examples

b.     Exercise 1

VI.  Major crustal structures

a.     Major morphometric zones

b.     Table 2.2 in book

c.     Geologic history of the North Atlantic

VII. Hot spots and mantle plumes

a.     Processes, examples

b.     Shield volcanoes

VIII. Continental Tectonic Landforms

a.     Compression: folding, fold terrain, Appalachian Valley and Ridge

b.     Compression: thrust faulting, Southern Blue Ridge

c.     Extension: normal faulting, horst and graben, fault-block mountains, Basin and Range

d.     Domes and Basins