A fascinating and accessible introduction to the principles of physical and historical geology. For the millions who visit them each year, U.S. national parklands offer a glittering spectacle of natural wonders. But beyond the spectacular scenery, these national treasures have a much bigger, more awe-inspiring tale to tell--a sprawling story of upheaval and transformation, involving forces and time-spans almost beyond imagining. The purpose of this book is to provide you with the knowledge you need to read and interpret that story, and to make visits to the parklands even more special. Requiring no prior familiarity with the geological sciences, this region-by-region exploration of the U.S. parklands teaches the principles of physical and historical geology by example. It begins with a general introduction to all important concepts, terms, and principles. In the chapters that follow, the authors take you on a tour through the geological regions of the United States. Beginning with Hawaii and the Pacific borderlands and moving progressively eastward to the Appalachian Mountains and the coastal plains of the East Coast, they provide you with a geologist's-eye view of the landforms, mountains, and bodies of water encountered in over 70 national parks and monuments, and tell the fascinating story of their evolution. Lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 stunning photographs and maps and featuring greatly expanded coverage of the geological story, history, and culture of U.S. parks and monuments, this new edition of Dr. David Harris's classic text is an ideal introduction to the principles of geology for students and nature enthusiasts alike.

Geology and Landscape Evolution: General Principles Applied to the United States, Second Edition, is an accessible text that balances interdisciplinary theory and applications within the physical geography, geology, geomorphology and climatology of the United States. The vast diversity of terrain and landscape across the United States makes this an ideal tool for geoscientists worldwide who research the country's geological and landscape evolution. The book provides an explanation of how landscape forms, how it evolves and why it looks the way it does. This new edition is fully updated with greater detail throughout and additional figures, maps, drawings and photographs. Rather than limiting the coverage specifically to tectonics or to the origin and evolution of rocks with little regard for the actual landscape beyond general desert, river and glacial features, this book concentrates specifically on the origin of the landscape itself, with specific and exhaustive reference to examples from across the United States. The book begins with a discussion of how rock type and rock structure combine with tectonic activity, climate, isostasy and sea level change to produce landscape and then explores predicting how landscape will evolve. The book goes on to apply those concepts to specific examples throughout the United States, making it a valuable resource for understanding theoretical geological concepts through a practical lens. - Presents the complexities of physical geography, geology, geomorphology and climatology of the United States through an interdisciplinary, highly accessible approach - Offers hundreds of full-color figures, maps and photographs that capture the systematic interaction of land, rock, rivers, glaciers, global wind patterns and climate, including Google Earth images - Provides a thorough assessment of the logic, rationale, and tools required to understand how to interpret landscape and the geological history of the Earth - Features exercises that conclude each chapter, aiding in the retention of key concepts - Updated with greater detail throughout and additional figures, maps, drawings and photographs - Includes additional subheadings so that material is easier to find and digest - Includes an all-new chapter on glaciation and expanded exercises using Google Earth images to enhance understanding

Landscape Evolution in the United States is an accessible text that balances interdisciplinary theory and application within the physical geography, geology, geomorphology, and climatology of the United States. Landscape evolution refers to the changing terrain of any given area of the Earth's crust over time. Common causes of evolution (or geomorphology—land morphing into a different size or shape over time) are glacial erosion and deposition, volcanism, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, sediment transport into rivers, landslides, climate change, and other surface processes. The book is divided into three main parts covering landscape components and how they are affected by climactic, tectonic and ocean systems; varying structural provinces including the Cascadia Volcanic Arc and California Transpressional System; and the formation and collapse of mountain systems. The vast diversity of terrain and landscapes across the United States makes this an ideal tool for geoscientists worldwide who are researching the country's geological evolution over the past several billion years. - Presents the complexities of physical geography, geology, geomorphology, and climatology of the United States through an interdisciplinary, highly accessible approach - Offers more than 250 full-color figures, maps and photographs that capture the systematic interaction of land, rock, rivers, glaciers, global wind patterns and climate - Provides a thorough assessment of the logic, rationale, and tools required to understand how to interpret landscape and the geological history of the Earth - Features exercises that conclude each chapter, aiding in the retention of key concepts

CD-ROM contains: Introductory text, maps, and geologically labeled photographs of all the parks.

VOLCANOES Since the publication of the first edition of Volcanoes in 2010, our world of volcanology has changed in exciting ways. Volcanoes have continued to erupt (some 61 eruptions with VEI magnitudes greater than 3 have taken place since 2010), and in this revised and updated edition, the authors describe the largest of these, and the ones that have had the most impact on society. Volcanoes, Second Edition, contains more than 80 new photographs and figures to better illustrate volcanic features and processes, with an updated Bibliography that includes important papers describing recent eruptions and new findings. Volcanologic research is improving the foundations of knowledge upon which all our science rests, and we briefly summarize the most important of these advances and new research tools developed over the past eleven years. The most productive of these new tools are remotely operated, constantly monitoring volcanoes and their impacts on the Earth’s atmosphere from space and exploring new volcanic worlds beyond the bounds of Earth. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are now widely available to understand better the most active volcanoes on Earth - those beneath the sea. This superlative textbook will enable students who may never see an erupting volcano to evaluate news stories about far-away eruptions, and to distinguish between overly sensational stories and factual reporting that puts facts in context. Emergency managers, land use planners, and civic officials also need to understand volcanic processes when their communities are threatened – this book will inform and guide them in their decision-making. Avoiding overly technical discussions and unnecessary use of jargon, with the important needs of civil authorities, teachers and students particularly in mind, this second edition of Volcanoes will also be of interest to general readers who are interested in these fascinating and ever-changing features of our dynamic planet.