This combination of text and lab book presents an entirely different approach to structural geology. Designed for undergraduate laboratory classes, it provides a step-by-step guide for solving geometric problems arising from structural field observations. The book discusses both traditional methods and cutting-edge approaches, with emphasis given to graphical methods and visualization techniques that support students in tackling challenging two- and three-dimensional problems. Numerous exercises encourage practice in using the techniques, and demonstrate how field observations can be converted into useful information about geological structures and the processes responsible for creating them. This updated fourth edition incorporates new material on stress, deformation, strain and flow, and the underlying mathematics of the subject. With stereonet plots and solutions to the exercises available online at www.cambridge.org/ragan, this book is a key resource for undergraduates, advanced students and researchers wanting to improve their practical skills in structural geology.

The book includes new material, in particular examples of 3-D models and techniques for using kinematic models to predict fault and ramp-anticline geometry. The book is geared toward the professional user concerned about the accuracy of an interpretation and the speed with which it can be obtained from incomplete data. Numerous analytical solutions are given that can be easily implemented with a pocket calculator or a spreadsheet.

The Second Edition also benefits from new artwork that clearly illustrates complex concepts. New to the Second Edition: New Chapter: 15, "Geophysical Imaging," by Frederick Cook Within Chapters 21 and 22, four new essays on "Regional Perspectives" discuss the European Alps, the Altaids, the Appalachians, and the Cascadia Wedge. New and updated art for more informative illustration of concepts. The Second Edition now has 570 black & white figures.

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.