The Student's Elements of GeologyLyell, Charles, Sir
Science
The Student's Elements of Geology
Lyell, Charles, Sir
Geology
Chapter V—ELEVATION OF STRATA ABOVE THE SEA.—HORIZONTAL AND INCLINED
STRATIFICATION.
Why the Position of Marine Strata, above the Level of the Sea, should
be referred to the rising up of the Land, not to the going down of the
Sea. — Strata of Deep-sea and Shallow-water Origin alternate. — Also
Marine and Fresh-water Beds and old Land Surfaces. — Vertical,
inclined, and folded Strata. — Anticlinal and Synclinal Curves. —
Theories to explain Lateral Movements. — Creeps in Coal-mines. — Dip
and Strike. — Structure of the Jura. — Various Forms of Outcrop. —
Synclinal Strata forming Ridges. — Connection of Fracture and Flexure
of Rocks. — Inverted Strata. — Faults described. — Superficial Signs of
the same obliterated by Denudation. — Great Faults the Result of
repeated Movements. — Arrangement and Direction of parallel Folds of
Strata. — Unconformability. — Overlapping Strata.
Chapter VI—DENUDATION.
Denudation defined. — Its Amount more than equal to the entire Mass of
Stratified Deposits in the Earth’s Crust. — subaërial Denudation. —
Action of the Wind. — Action of Running Water. — Alluvium defined. —
Different Ages of Alluvium. — Denuding Power of Rivers affected by Rise
or Fall of Land. — Littoral Denudation. — Inland Sea-Cliffs. —
Escarpments. — Submarine Denudation. — Dogger-bank. — Newfoundland
Bank. — Denuding Power of the Ocean during Emergence of Land.
Chapter VII—JOINT ACTION OF DENUDATION, UPHEAVAL, AND SUBSIDENCE IN
REMODELLING THE EARTH’S CRUST.
How we obtain an Insight at the Surface, of the Arrangement of Rocks at
great Depths. — Why the Height of the successive Strata in a given
Region is so disproportionate to their Thickness. — Computation of the
average annual Amount of subaërial Denudation. — Antagonism of Volcanic
Force to the Levelling Power of running Water. — How far the Transfer
of Sediment from the Land to a neighbouring Sea-bottom may affect
Subterranean Movements. — Permanence of Continental and Oceanic Areas.
Chapter VIII—CHRONOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS.
Aqueous, Plutonic, volcanic, and metamorphic Rocks considered
chronologically. — Terms Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary; Palæozoic,
Mesozoic, and Cainozoic explained. — On the different Ages of the
aqueous Rocks. — Three principal Tests of relative Age: Superposition,
Mineral Character, and Fossils. — Change of Mineral Character and
Fossils in the same continuous Formation. — Proofs that distinct
Species of Animals and Plants have lived at successive Periods. —
Distinct Provinces of indigenous Species. — Great Extent of single
Provinces. — Similar Laws prevailed at successive Geological Periods. —
Relative Importance of mineral and palæontological Characters. — Test
of Age by included Fragments. — Frequent Absence of Strata of
intervening Periods. — Tabular Views of fossiliferous Strata.
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