Plate Tectonics and How the Earth Works

This updated CD-ROM includes an entirely new major chapter entitled "Crustal and Mantle Evolution" which delves into the origin and evolution of continents and the early history of the Earth. This interactive program is designed to aid advanced students in the geological sciences in visualizing and learning about processes within Earth and how these processes are related to plate tectonics.

Using animations, interactive diagrams, and color photos, new and exciting developments are reviewed relating to plate reconstructions in the past, hotspots, mantle plumes, seismic discontinuities in the mantle, and supercontinent cycles. Also included is a graphic portrayal of the crust (both oceanic and continental), mantle, and core, as well as recent ideas as to how Earth systems interact with each other. In addition, the student can examine each of the major tectonic settings on Earth as well as track these settings into the past, some as far back as 4 Ga. Version 2.1 is compatible with Mac OS® X Yosemite (10.10).


Table of Contents:

Plate Tectonics: General Features | Structure of the Earth | Subduction Zones | The Wilson Cycle | Magnetic Anomalies on the Seafloor | Apparent Polar Wander Paths | Hotspots | Organic Evolution and Plate Tectonics | The History of Pangea | Interactive Earth Systems | Review

The Earth's Crust: Crustal Types | Heat Flow | Exhumation and Cratonization | Rheology of the Continental Crust | Measured Seismic Wave Velocities in Rocks | Sampling of the Lower Continental Crust | Chemical Composition of the Crust | Terranes and Crustal Provinces | Review

Tectonic Settings: Introduction | Ophiolites | Mantle-Plume-Related Tectonic Settings | Cratons and Passive Margins | Continental Rifts | Convergent Margins | Orogens | Anorogenic Granites | Archean Greenstones | Mineral Deposits | Energy Deposits | Review

The Earth's Mantle and Core: Seismic Structure of the Mantle | Geoid Anomalies | Composition of the Mantle | The Lithosphere | The Deep Mantle | Mantle Plumes | Upwellings, Hotspots, and Supercontinents | Mantle Geochemical Components | Mantle Convection | The Core | Review

Crustal and Mantle Evolution: The Earth's Oldest Rocks and Minerals | Plate Tectonics in Time | Origin of the First Continents | Characteristics of the Archean Crust | The Growth of Continents | Superevents in Earth History | Possible Causes of Mantle Plume Events | Review

System Requirements: Macintosh: PowerPC™ G4, G5 or Intel® processor; RAM: 512 MBytes; Mac OS® X 10.4.11 or later (including QuickTime). Windows: Intel® Pentium® 4 or faster processor (or equivalent); RAM: 512 MBytes; Windows® XP Service Pack 2, Windows Vista®, 7, or 8.1.