Springer Basement Regions

This book will open up a large body of data previously inaccessible or unknown to non-francophone geomorphologists, geologists and geographers. It provides an insight into the regional geomorphology of basement terrains in France and elsewhere which do not belong to the list of benchmark case studies, recurringly explained in mainstream textbooks. The essay style of the nine chapters, the permanent and holistic reference to landscapes of the real world, and the constant shuttle between field and laboratory studies help to remind students that the analysis of the geomorphic landscape is a humbling process of interpretation, requiring the collation of many strands of evidence. This is not always apparent in more linear textbooks on process geomorphology, where topics are dealt with in more detail but also more theoretically. From the Back Cover The basement regions constitute more than two-thirds of outcropping bedrock material across our planet's continents. During the past 30 years French geomorphologists have contributed greatly to the characterization of some of the laws and patterns of landform evolution in shields and crystaliine areas with changing bioclimatic environments. This volume reflects the search for a better understanding of landscapes and landforms in igneous and metamorphic terrains at different latitudes. Furthermore, it covers a wide field of investigation gathered on four continents and addresses the issue at a wide range of spatial and timescales. It is an ideal volume not only for post-graduate geomorphology students but also for geoscience scholars concerned with igneous petrology, quaternary geology, physical geography, soil science and land use planning.