1014 Pages 500 Color & 500 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    1014 Pages
    by CRC Press

    This book provides a detailed coverage of the landforms of Planet Earth and the processes that shaped them. The study of these morphologies, some of which formed during past geological periods under environmental conditions very different from those of today, makes it possible to reconstruct the evolution of relief and to infer environmental changes that have involved geological media, the climate, or human activity.

    A major advance of Geomorphology in recent decades is the development of techniques that make it possible to quantify morphogenetic processes and rates at which forms change under different environmental conditions. The development of Geochronology, or absolute dating methods, is helping us correct the limitations of relative dating that have prevailed in Geomorphology for many years. The ability to assign numerical ages to both landforms and deposits opens up multiple possibilities for reconstructing the evolution of relief, making correlations, calculating rates, and estimating recurrence periods.

    A theme of major concern facing people today is the possible warming of the planet due to the release of greenhouse gases into the environment. Investigations conducted by the scientific community show that this temperature increase is at least partially anthropogenic. Given this more-than-probable cause and effect relationship, the most sensible and prudent path is to design and apply mitigation measures to alleviate this heating that can negatively affect both the natural environment and human society. The information that Geomorphology can provide on the recent past (Historical Geomorphology) may be very useful in making predictions on the activity of these potentially dangerous processes in the future and on the possible effects of environmental changes.

    The aim of this book is to provide a general vision of the multiple aspects of Geomorphology and to provide a methodological foundation to approach the study of various branches of geomorphology. To this end, the book contains a basic bibliography that can be used for future research. In addition, applied aspects of Geomorphology are covered at the end of each chapter to provide knowledge of the activities of geomorphologists in the professional world.

    PREFACE

    1 GEOMORPHOLOGY
    1.1 INTRODUCTION
    1.2 HISTORY OF GEOMORPHOLOGY
    Geomorphology prior to the 20th century
    Models of landscape evolution
    Geomorphology in the first half of the 20th century
    Process geomorphology
    Reconstruction of geomorphic history: Geochronology
    1.3 GEOMORPHIC SYSTEMS
    1.4 GEOMORPHIC CONCEPTS
    1.5 TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL SCALES
    1.6 APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY
    1.7 STRUCTURE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY

    2 STRUCTURAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
    2.1 INTRODUCTION
    2.2 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH
    2.3 COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH
    2.4 LITHOSPHERE AND ASTHENOSPHERE
    2.5 ISOSTASY
    2.6 PRECURSORS OF GLOBAL TECTONICS
    2.7 PLATE TECTONICS
    2.8 STRUCTURAL LANDFORMS
    2.9 PSEUDO-STRUCTURAL LANDFORMS

    3 TECTONIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    3.1 INTRODUCTION
    3.2 GEOMORPHIC MARKERS
    Planar geomorphic markers
    Linear geomorphic markers
    3.3 DATING METHODS
    Relative dating methods
    Absolute dating methods
    3.4 TECTONIC GEOMORPHOLOGY TECHNIQUES
    Cartography of paleoseismic regions
    Cartography of paleoseismic stratigraphy
    Geophysical techniques in paleoseismology
    Archeological techniques
    Geodetic techniques
    Other techniques
    3.5 DEFORMATION OF LANDFORMS
    Geomorphic indices of tectonic activity
    The fluvial system and tectonic geomorphology
    Uplift, subsidence, and earthquakes in fluvial systems
    Deformation in colluvial and fluvial deposits
    Deformation in littoral and lacustrine environments
    3.6 SEISMIC RISK
    3.7 PREVENTION, MITIGATION, AND WARNING
    3.8 HUMAN-INDUCED EARTHQUAKES

    4 VOLCANIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    4.1 INTRODUCTION
    4.2 PLATE TECTONICS AND VOLCANISM
    4.3 MAGMA AND VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
    4.4 TYPES OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
    4.5 PRINCIPAL TYPES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
    Icelandic eruptions
    Hawaiian eruptions
    Strombolian eruptions
    Vulcanian eruptions
    Vesuvian eruptions
    Peleean eruptions
    Plinian eruptions
    4.6 NUÉES ARDENTES AND PYROCLASTIC FLOWS
    4.7 HYDROVOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
    Sub-aqueous eruptions
    Phreatic eruptions
    Sub-glacial eruptions
    4.8 ROCK AVALANCHES AND LAHARS
    4.9 GASEOUS OR HYDROTHERMAL ERUPTIONS
    4.10 LAVA FLOWS
    Basalt flows
    Acid lava flows
    4.11 PYROCLASTICS
    Pyroclastic fall deposits
    Pyroclastic surges
    Pyroclastic flows
    4.12 VOLCANO MORPHOLOGY
    Volcanoes that erupt basic lava
    Volcanoes that erupt acidic lava
    4.13 PYROCLASTIC CONES
    4.14 STRATOVOLCANOES
    4.15 CALDERAS
    4.16 VOLCANIC LANDFORMS RESULTING
    FROM EROSION
    4.17 VOLCANIC RISK AND PREDICTION

    5 WEATHERING AND RESULTING LANDFORMS
    5.1 INTRODUCTION
    5.2 TYPES OF WEATHERING PROCESSES
    Physical weathering
    Sheeting
    Gelifraction
    Insolation weathering
    Weathering by wetting and drying
    Salt weathering
    Biological weathering
    Chemical weathering
    Weathering of silicates
    Degrees of weathering and weathering products
    Weathering profile
    Weathering depth
    Weathering zones
    Weathering rates
    5.3 RESULTANT WEATHERING FORMS
    5.4 PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF WEATHERING
    Weathering processes and products
    Supergene mineral ores and placers
    Regolith characteristics: Implications for engineering geology
    Weathering of monuments
    Weathering of sandstones in various climatic environments

    6 KARST GEOMORPHOLOGY
    6.1 INTRODUCTION
    6.2 CARBONATE DISSOLUTION
    6.3 SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF LIMESTONES: KARREN
    6.4 DOLINES/SINKHOLES
    Solution sinkholes
    Collapse sinkholes
    6.5 POLJES
    6.6 KARST VALLEYS AND SPRINGS
    6.7 ENDOKARST
    Principal factors in cave formation
    Limestone type and structure
    Type and amount of water flow
    Physiographic and climatic factors
    Some cave types
    6.8 CAVE DEPOSITS
    6.9 TYPES OF KARST AND THE ROLE OF CLIMATE
    6.10 EVAPORITE KARST
    Evaporite dissolution
    Karst landforms in evaporites
    6.11 KARST RISKS, APPLICATIONS AND USES

    7 SLOPES AND MASS MOVEMENT
    7.1 INTRODUCTION
    7.2 SLOPE SHAPES
    7.3 TYPES OF MASS MOVEMENTS
    Falls and rockfalls
    Topples
    Landslides
    Rotational landslides (slumps)
    Translational landslides
    Lateral spreading
    Lateral spreading in rocks
    Lateral spreading in soils and detritus
    Sackung
    Flows
    Complex mass movements
    Rock avalanches
    Flow slides
    Large gravitational landslides
    7.4 FACTORS THAT CONTROL MASS MOVEMENTS
    7.5 LANDSLIDE RISK: CASE HISTORIES
    7.6 LANDSLIDE PREDICTION AND MITIGATION

    8 FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY I
    8.1 INTRODUCTION
    8.2 BRIEF HISTORY OF FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
    8.3 THE FLUVIAL SYSTEM—CONCEPT OF A HYDROSYSTEM
    8.4 MORPHOMETRY OF A RIVER BASIN
    8.5 HYDRAULICS OF FLUID FLOW
    8.6 SEDIMENT TRANSPORT
    8.7 FLUVIAL EROSION
    8.8 LONGITUDINAL PROFILE, BASE LEVEL, AND STREAM CAPTURE
    8.9 FLUVIAL CHANNEL SYSTEMS
    8.10 STABILITY OF FLUVIAL CHANNELS
    8.11 METAMORPHOSIS OF RIVERS

    9 FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY II
    9.1 FLUVIAL SEDIMENTATION
    9.2 FLOODPLAINS
    9.3 ALLUVIAL FANS
    Definition, prior work, and terminology
    Alluvial fan morphology
    Factors that control alluvial fan development
    Sedimentary processes
    Sediment supply processes
    Reworking processes
    Dynamics and evolution of alluvial fan development
    9.4 FLUVIAL TERRACES
    9.5 LARGE RIVERS
    9.6 FLOODING
    Introduction
    Types of floods
    Causes and factors that intensify flooding
    Magnitude and frequency of flooding
    Mapping of flood risk areas
    Paleohydrology
    9.7 FLOOD RISK
    Flood risk in Spain
    Two catastrophic floods: Barranco de Arás (Huesca, 1996) and the Riada del Júcar (Valencia, 1982)
    9.8 FLOOD PREVENTION AND MITIGATION

    10 EOLIAN GEOMORPHOLOGY
    10.1 EOLIAN PROCESSES
    10.2 ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS OF EOLIAN PARTICLES
    10.3 EOLIAN PARTICLE MOVEMENT
    10.4 TYPES OF EOLIAN TRANSPORT
    10.5 RIPPLES
    10.6 EOLIAN EROSION AND RESULTING LANDFORMS
    Ventifacts
    Yardangs
    Deflation basins
    10.7 EOLIAN ACCUMULATIONS
    10.8 FACTORS CONTROLLING ERG DEVELOPMENT
    10.9 DUNE PROCESSES
    10.10 DUNE CLASSIFICATION
    Transverse dunes
    Linear dunes
    Pyramidal and network dunes
    Sand sheets and zibars
    Dunes anchored by vegetation
    Topographically anchored dunes
    10.11 DESERT DUST
    General characteristics
    Source area and generating processes
    Entrainment, transport and sedimentation
    Geomorphic implications
    Loess
    10.12 WIND RISK: PROBLEMS AND CONTROL

    11 COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
    11.1 INTRODUCTION
    11.2 BRIEF HISTORY OF COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
    11.3 TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL SCALES
    11.4 SEA LEVEL VARIATIONS
    Causes of sea level changes
    Holocene eustatic changes and future predictions
    11.5 WAVES, CURRENTS, AND TIDES
    11.6 CLIFF COASTS AND ROCKY PLATFORMS
    11.7 CORAL REEF COASTS
    11.8 BEACHES, BARRIERS, AND SPITS
    11.9 COASTAL DUNES
    11.10 MUDFLATS, SALT MARSHES, AND MANGROVES
    11.11 ESTUARIES AND DELTAS
    11.12 COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS: USES, MANAGEMENT, AND RISKS
    12 CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    12.1 INTRODUCTION
    12.2 THE BEGINNINGS OF CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    12.3 THE STRUCTURE OF CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    12.4 THE EVOLUTION OF CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    12.5 APPLICATIONS AND FUTURE TRENDS
    12.6 CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY: PROCESSES AND MORPHOCLIMATIC DIFFERENTIATION
    12.7 THE CONCEPT OF ZONATION IN CLIMATIC GEOMORPHOLOGY
    12.8 PRINCIPAL MORPHOCLIMATIC ZONES

    13 GLACIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY I
    13.1 GLACIERS
    Introduction
    Present and past extent of glaciers
    Mass balance in glaciers: Accumulation and ablation
    Transformation of snow into ice
    Glacier classification
    Thermal classification
    Morphological classification
    Glacier movement
    Glacier structures
    13.2 GLACIAL EROSION
    Erosional processes
    Types of processes
    Landforms produced by glacial erosion
    Striations, grooves, and glacial polish
    Friction cracks and p-shapes
    Roches moutonnées and other landforms
    Cirques
    Glacial valleys
    Glacial landforms in low relief regions
    Fjords

    14 GLACIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY II
    14.1 GLACIAL TRANSPORT AND DEPOSITION
    Glacial supply and environments
    Mechanics of glacial deposition
    Till characteristics
    Landforms resulting from glacial deposition
    14.2 FLUVIOGLACIAL EROSION
    AND SEDIMENTATION
    Meltwater
    Landforms resulting from fluvioglacial erosion
    Landforms resulting from fluvioglacial deposition
    14.3 APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY IN GLACIAL REGIONS
    Introduction
    Risks caused by ice mass activity
    Icebergs
    Ice avalanches
    Glacier-dammed lakes
    Volcanism and glaciers
    Problems caused by glaciotectonics
    Geological engineering considerations for non-glaciated areas
    Placer deposits in glacial environments
     
    15 PERIGLACIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
    15.1 THE PERIGLACIAL ENVIRONMENT
    Introduction
    Permafrost characteristics
    Periglacial processes
    Frost action
    Chemical weathering
    Mass movement
    Nival processes
    Fluvial activity
    Wind action
    15.2 PERIGLACIAL LANDFORMS
    Patterned ground
    Ice-cored mounds
    Palsas
    Pingos
    Slope morphology and evolution
    Gelifluction slopes
    Cryoplanation terraces
    and cryopediments
    Talus slopes and debris cones
    Block fields, block slopes and block streams
    Rock glaciers
    Grèzes litées
    Nivation landforms
    Slope evolution
    Fluvial landforms
    Thermokarst or cryokarst
    15.3 APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY IN PERIGLACIAL REGIONS
    Introduction
    Snow avalanches
    Mass movement
    Engineering problems in frozen soil regions
    Buildings
    Linear infrastructure
    Oil and gas pipelines
    Mining
    Other activities

    16 GEOMORPHOLOGY OF ARID ZONES I
    16.1 INTRODUCTION
    Causes of aridity
    Climate features of deserts
    Geomorphic classification of desert areas
    16.2 DESERT SURFACES: PAVEMENTS, PATTERNED GROUND, VARNISHES, AND CRUSTS
    General characteristics of desert pavements
    Processes involved in the formation of desert pavements
    Pavement development
    Patterned ground
    Desiccation cracks
    Gilgai
    16.3 DESERT VARNISH
    Composition and age
    Formation processes
    Environmental implications and age of varnishes
    16.4 DURICRUSTS
    Caliches
    Geochemistry and mineralogy
    Morphology
    Origin
    Siliceous crusts
    Gypsiferous crusts
    16.5 WATER IN ARID ZONES
    Precipitation, vegetation, and evapotranspiration
    Desert fluvial networks
    Runoff and sediment transport on slopes
    Water erosion on slopes
    Fluvial landforms and processes
    Valley fills and incised channels

    17 GEOMORPHOLOGY OF ARID ZONES II
    17.1 SLOPES IN ARID ZONES
    Slopes in crystalline rocks
    Slopes in stratified rocks
    Simple slopes
    Compound slopes
    Flatirons
    Scarp retreat rates
    Badlands
    17.2 PIEDMONTS IN ARID REGIONS: PEDIMENTS
    Glacis and pediments: Definition, terminology and distribution
    Pediment morphology
    Role of geology and climate on pediment formation
    Dominant pediment processes
    Hypothesis on the origin of pediments
    Pediment evolution—pediplains
    17.3 DESERT LAKES: PLAYAS AND SABKHAS
    Origin of closed depressions in arid environments
    General hydrology of arid zones
    Sedimentation in desert lakes
    Clay-rich closed depressions
    Salt lakes
    Littoral sabhkas
    17.4 APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY IN ARID ZONES
    Introduction
    Volume changes
    Lacustrine systems
    Human induced subsidence
    Degradation of arid zones: Desertification
    Earth dams and reservoirs

    18 GEOMORPHOLOGY OF TROPICAL ZONES
    18.1 INTRODUCTION
    Climate characteristics, vegetation, and morphoclimatic domains
    18.2 LATERITES
    Weathering, composition, and structures
    Factors that affect formation
    The laterite profile
    Laterite formation
    Laterite ages and their paleoenvironmental significance
    Bauxites
    18.3 TROPICAL LANDFORMS
    Erosion and sedimentation in fluvial systems
    Quantification of soil loss
    18.4 SLOPES AND STONE LINES
    18.5 LANDFORMS SHAPED BY FLUVIAL EROSION
    18.6 FLUVIAL SEDIMENTARY LANDFORMS
    18.7 LARGE TROPICAL RIVERS
    18.8 LANDFORMS THAT DEVELOP IN LATERITES
    18.9 TROPICAL PLANATION: ETCHPLAINS
    18.10 INSELBERGS
    Boulder inselbergs (tors)
    Domed inselbergs (bornhardts)
    18.11 APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY IN TROPICAL REGIONS
    Catastrophic flooding

    19 ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
    19.1 INTRODUCTION
    19.2 THE EARTH’S CLIMATE SYSTEM
    19.3 CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
    Consequences of climate change
    Prediction of climate change
    Evolution of the principal contributions to climate change and uncertainties
    Mitigation
    19.4 ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGE
    Changes in populations and society through time
    Human impact on the environment
    19.5 TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

    20 CLIMATE CHANGE IN GLACIAL AND PERIGLACIAL REGIONS
    20.1 INTRODUCTION
    20.2 PALEOCLIMATE DATA PROVIDED BY DRILL CORES OF ICE SHEETS AND DEEP SEA SEDIMENTS
    20.3 FLUCTUATIONS OF QUATERNARY ICE SHEETS AND RESULTING LANDFORMS
    20.4 RETREAT OF CIRQUE AND VALLEY GLACIERS
    20.5 GLACIO-ISOSTASY AND GLACIO-EUSTASY
    20.6 RECONSTRUCTION OF PERIGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS
    20.7 RELICT PERIGLACIAL LANDFORMS
    20.8 FLUVIAL SYSTEMS IN PERIGLACIAL AREAS
    20.9 EOLIAN ACTIVITY IN PERIGLACIAL REGIONS
    20.10 FLUCTUATIONS IN PERIGLACIAL AREAS DURING THE LATE QUATERNARY
    20.11 CONSIDERATIONS OF GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE IN PERIGLACIAL ZONES

    21 CLIMATE CHANGE IN ARID AND TROPICAL HUMID REGIONS
    21.1 ARID REGIONS
    Fluvial systems
    Slopes and their evolution
    Talus flatirons
    Ramblas and arroyos
    Alluvial fans
    Desert rivers
    Paleolakes
    Dune systems
    Introduction
    Active and inactive dunes
    Paleoclimatic information from dune systems
    Climate change in desert regions and uncertainties
    Causes of paleoclimatic oscillations during the late quaternary
    21.2 TROPICAL REGIONS
    Introduction
    Biological modifications
    Geomorphological evidence
    Regolith and relict weathering profiles
    Inselbergs
    Fluvial systems
    Eolian activity

    REFERENCES
    INDEX

    Biography

    Mateo Gutiérrez Elorza, Emeritus Professor of Geomorphology at the Science Faculty of Zaragoza University served as vice-director of the Teruel University College and managed post-doctoral courses in the Sao Paolo University (USP-Brazil) and San Juan University (Argentine). He was the First President of the Spanish Society of Geomorphology (1987-1990), and he is currently Corresponding Academic of the Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales de Madrid (since 1992) and member of the Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas, Quimicas y Naturales de Zaragoza (since 1996). Professor Gutiérrez was member of the IAG Executive Committee (2001-2005) and the main organizer of the 6th International Conference of Geomorphology held in Zaragoza (2005).

    He has published four books: Geomorfologia de España (1994), Rueda. Madrid; Geomorfología Climática (2001), Omega, Barcelona; Climatic Geomorphology (2005), Elsevier, Amsterdam; and Geomorfología (2008) Pearson/Prentice Hall. He is also the author of more than 200 papers in journals of the SCI and other publications. His scientific work is mainly focused on karst and geomorphology in arid regions.