Physics of the Earth

Preface; 1. Origin and history of the Solar System; 2. Composition of the Earth; 3. Radioactivity, isotopes and dating; 4. Isotopic clues to the age and origin of the Solar System; 5. Evidence of the Earth's evolutionary history; 6. Rotation, figure of the Earth and gravity; 7. Precession, wobble and rotational irregularities; 8. Tides and the evolution of the lunar orbit; 9. The satellite geoid, isostasy and post-glacial rebound; 10. Elastic and inelastic properties; 11. Deformation of the crust: rock mechanics; 12. Tectonics; 13. Convective and tectonic stresses; 14. Kinematics of the earthquake process; 15. Earthquake dynamics; 16. Seismic wave propagation; 17. Seismological determination of Earth structure; 18. Finite strain and high pressure equations of state; 19. Thermal properties; 20. The surface heat flux; 21. The global energy budget; 22. Thermodynamics of convection; 23. Thermal history; 24. The geomagnetic field; 25. Rock magnetism and paleomagnetism; 26. Alternative energy sources and natural climate variations: some geophysical background; Appendix A. General reference data; Appendix B. Orbital dynamics (Kepler's laws); Appendix C. Spherical harmonic functions; Appendix D. Relationships between elastic moduli of an isotropic solid; Appendix E. Thermodynamic parameters and derivative properties; Appendix F. An Earth model: mechanical properties; Appendix G. A thermal model of the Earth; Appendix H. Radioactive isotopes; Appendix I. A geological time scale 2004; Appendix J. Problems; References; Index.