The Cretaceous World

Peter Skelton

360 pages, parution le 21/10/2003

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Résumé

The rich geological record of the Cretaceous Period reveals a world that experienced extreme climatic warmth and significantly higher global sea levels than today. It therefore provides a natural case study of the Earth in ‘greenhouse' climatic mode, which this interdisciplinary textbook analyses from the perspective of Earth System Science.
After surveying the evidence for conditions on the Cretaceous Earth, this book explores the interactions between the physical, chemical and biological processes, within the Earth and at its surface. These processes control the prevailing environmental conditions on Earth and the book highlights the major differences between the Cretaceous and the present world.
Finally, the mass extinction that terminated the period, and its possible causes, are investigated. Designed for undergraduate and graduate courses, this textbook features chapter summaries, focus boxes, and questions and answers throughout the text. The book is supported by a website hosting sample pages, selected illustrations, and worked exercises.

Part I. Survey of the Cretaceous World:
- Introduction to the Cretaceous
- The mobile palaeogeographical framework
- Fluctuating sea-level
- Changing climate and biota
- Changing climate and biota - the marine record
Part II. The Workings of the Cretaceous World:
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Volcanic inputs
- The operation of major geological carbon sinks
- The lost world rediscovered
Part III. The End of an Era:
- The end-Cretaceous mass extinction
- Seeking an explanation
- The ‘smoking gun'
- The effects of the Chicxulub impact
- Acknowledgements
- References
- Index.

Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Cambridge University Press
Auteur(s)	Peter Skelton
Parution	21/10/2003
Nb. de pages	360
Format	21,5 x 27,5
Couverture	Broché
Poids	1300g
Intérieur	Quadri
EAN13	9780521538435
ISBN13	978-0-521-53843-5