Geology, Vol. 1 [of 3]

Irregularities, 10. Epicontinental seas, 11. Diversities of surface, 12. The surface mantle of the lithosphere, 12. The crust of the lithosphere, 13. The interior, 14. Varieties...

+The Atmosphere as a Direct Agency+ 21 I. _Mechanical Work_ 21 Transportation and deposition of dust, 22. Transportation and deposition of sand, 25. Formation of dunes, 26. Shap...

+Rain and River Erosion+ 57 _Subaërial Erosion without Valleys_ 58 _The Development of Valleys_ 63 By the growth of gullies, 63. Limits of growth, 67. The permanent stream, 70....

Conditions influencing descent of rain-water, 213. Supply of ground-water not altogether dependent on local rainfall, 215. Ground-water surface—water table, 215. Depth to which...

+Temperature, Waste, and Drainage+ 273 The winter wave, 274. The summer wave, 276. The temperature of the bottom, 276. Temperature of the interior of the ice, 277. Compression a...

+Movements of the Sea-water+ 334 Differences in density and their results, 335. Differences in level and their results. 335. Movements generated by winds, 336. Movements generat...

+Composition of Igneous Rocks+ 395 Leading elements, 396. Union of elements, 397. Formation of minerals, 397. Sources of complexity, 398. The leading minerals of igneous rocks,...

+Minute and Rapid Movements+ 526 _Earthquakes_ 527 Points of origin, foci, 527. The amplitude of the vibrations, 529. Destructive effects, 530. Direction of throw, 531. Rate of...

+Volcanoes+ 599 Number of, 599. _Distribution of Volcanoes_ 599 In time, 599. Relative to land and sea, 599. Relative to crustal deformations, 601. In latitude, 603. In curved l...

I. +The Distinctive Features of Organic Processes+ 638 _The Chemical Work of Life_ 638 Life material chiefly atmospheric, 638. The non-atmospheric factors, 639. (1) _Changes in...

+Geology+ treats of the structure of the earth, of the various stages through which it has passed, and of the living beings that have dwelt upon it, together with the agencies a...

While it is convenient to regard the lithosphere as the earth proper, and the atmosphere as its envelope, the latter is as truly a part of the planet as the former, and its acti...

Familiar phenomena, both of land and sea, reveal the constant activity and importance of water as a geologic agent. Even when there is no precipitation the moisture in the air i...

Many familiar facts demonstrate the general presence of abundant water beneath the surface of the land. The thousands of wells in regions peopled by civilized races, and the cou...

A part of the atmospheric precipitation falls as snow, and this, like the rain, does its appropriate work in degrading the land. Over the larger part of the land surface the sno...

The general facts concerning the depth of the ocean and the distribution of its water have been given on a preceding page (p. 8), and the origin of the ocean and the ocean basin...

It has been the current opinion that the earth was once in a molten state, and thence cooled to a solid condition, and hence that all the primitive rocks were igneous. Even thos...

=The structural phases which rocks assume.=—In the previous chapters, the general method by which rocks are formed has been set forth, and many of their structural features have...

The body of the earth is subject to an infinite variety of movements, ranging from the almost inconceivably rapid to the almost imperceptibly slow, and from the almost immeasura...

=Outward movements.=—In the preceding chapters movements toward the center have been considered. The complementary processes of outward movement now invite attention. Without do...

There is no reason to suppose that life processes, as we know them, were in operation in the earliest stages of the earth’s history. They were introduced and developed gradually...

Atmosphere, 5 affected by life, 639, 640 carbonation by, 43 chemical work of, 41–43 evaporation and precipitation, 50 fluctuations in composition, 639–44 geologic activity of, 6...