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Microscopic Petrography
Book reviews HENRI and GENEVIEVE TERMIER: L’Evolution de la Lithosophere. 40 figures, 54 tables. Masson et Cie., 1956. Price Fr. 8.000 BrochC,
I:
PBtrogWse.
653 pp.,
Fr. X.800 Carton&
THIS is the second in a series of four volumes toget.her making a Compre1wnsiw Treatise of Geology. By 1956 progress is as follows: T701. 1 (1952) Histoire Gkologiqzre de In Biosphkre; Vol. 2 (1956) L’EvoZution de la Lithospltdre I: Pe’trogtkkse; T-02. 3 (in press): Orogd~dw; l-01. 4 (in preparation): Glyptogdvke. The design and ambition of the authors are to explain genesis and evolution by interpretative studies of geological phenomena. It is generally recognized that the matter in the lithosphere. representing an assemblage but, these laws must be associated of ions, is governed by the laws of physics and chemistry; wit,h the observable obJect,s of geology and with the new data ofgeochemist,ry and cosmoc~helllistr~. The first. part, comprising 200 pages is concerned with generalities: (1) Constitution of matter, (2) Cosmochemistry. (3) Birth of the earth, (4) Energ>- in the lithosphere, (5) Building blocks of the lithosphere, (6) Material transport’, (7) The minerals of the rocks, (8) Geochemistry, (9) The wit.nesses of t,ime. The second part presents t,he great problems of petrogenesis among which n-e find JIagmas, The Domain of the Instable. Volcanism, Sial, Plutons and Granites, Sialic \*olcanism in Erogenic Zones, Convergent, and Aberrant Rocks. In t,hese chapters emphasis is placed on the importance of t,he atomic structures of minerals, the rdle of gravity as an active force in the lit)hosphere, the constructive action of metasomatism, and the part played by regional,mctamorphism in the format,ion and mise en place of granite t’hrough a series of migmatite, gneissic granit.e, anatexe granite, circumscribed granite. diapiriles and intrusive granite. The great, geochemical cycle is described and the interrelations between The aut,hors think it is highly eruptive, sedimentary, and met’amorphie rocks are stressed. probable that juvenile emanations ascending from below (from sima) become fixed in the upljer layers of the crust of the eart’h and aid a progressive different.iation of sial at, the cost of sima. As shown by the authors (1952) the relations of t,he lithosphere with hydrosphere and biosphere are manifest. Equally important connections are now pronounced to exist betxeen the deep layers of the earth (sima) and the base of the lithosphere. A short’ and factual account cannot gix-e justice to a work of inspiration. nor is it fair to condense more than 600 pages in a brief review. I fee! that. t,he geologist Inl-ing his subject n-ill find great pleasure and stimulat,ion from this book, and will eagerly await, the fort,hcoming of the additional volumes. TOM. F. T\-. BARTH E. WM. HEIXRICH: Microscopic Petrography. 1956. 296 pp., 70 illustrations. Price $6.50.
McGraw-Hill
Book
C’ompa,ny, Jnc., SCM- York,
THE raison d‘&tre of the present book is explained in th(a preface: lwtro~raph>- to&>- stands as a 1)etrological tool ant1 no longer as an end itself: thaw recent books. lxsing lwoccupied mainly wit,h petrogenesis, have forced students to refer to ol(ler books for lwtrop’aphic information. 17et many new petrographic data and many fine petrographic studies have sulq~lemcntetl or revised older pet,rographic descript,ions. This new information has been used in thr present, book. The methods of microscopic st’udy are first explained. Then follo\v the rocks: as usual they are divided into igneous, sedimentary, and mctaniorphic~. par11 division is again divided into a general and a descriptive chapter. The general chapters arc’ brief and tr>- lo civc a rapid siurcy of genesis. classification. texture am1 microstrurtrwr~. Th(% tlcscril)t ions a.re c*c)mlwehmsi\-c. well illiwtratcd and give excellent information about thr mic-roscwpir lwtrcqral)h\- of a great numbrq of rwk tyl-es. Howe\-rr, the enormous masses of pncissr;;, pnclissgranites mltl miglnntitcs. the flesh and blood of the crust of the earth are niggardly twatcd. But. generally sprakillg t,he student n-ill find pertinent and useful. well arrangetl ant1 c*arefiill>- lnwx~ntcll informnt,ion.
244
I:
PBtrogWse.
653 pp.,
Fr. X.800 Carton&
THIS is the second in a series of four volumes toget.her making a Compre1wnsiw Treatise of Geology. By 1956 progress is as follows: T701. 1 (1952) Histoire Gkologiqzre de In Biosphkre; Vol. 2 (1956) L’EvoZution de la Lithospltdre I: Pe’trogtkkse; T-02. 3 (in press): Orogd~dw; l-01. 4 (in preparation): Glyptogdvke. The design and ambition of the authors are to explain genesis and evolution by interpretative studies of geological phenomena. It is generally recognized that the matter in the lithosphere. representing an assemblage but, these laws must be associated of ions, is governed by the laws of physics and chemistry; wit,h the observable obJect,s of geology and with the new data ofgeochemist,ry and cosmoc~helllistr~. The first. part, comprising 200 pages is concerned with generalities: (1) Constitution of matter, (2) Cosmochemistry. (3) Birth of the earth, (4) Energ>- in the lithosphere, (5) Building blocks of the lithosphere, (6) Material transport’, (7) The minerals of the rocks, (8) Geochemistry, (9) The wit.nesses of t,ime. The second part presents t,he great problems of petrogenesis among which n-e find JIagmas, The Domain of the Instable. Volcanism, Sial, Plutons and Granites, Sialic \*olcanism in Erogenic Zones, Convergent, and Aberrant Rocks. In t,hese chapters emphasis is placed on the importance of t,he atomic structures of minerals, the rdle of gravity as an active force in the lit)hosphere, the constructive action of metasomatism, and the part played by regional,mctamorphism in the format,ion and mise en place of granite t’hrough a series of migmatite, gneissic granit.e, anatexe granite, circumscribed granite. diapiriles and intrusive granite. The great, geochemical cycle is described and the interrelations between The aut,hors think it is highly eruptive, sedimentary, and met’amorphie rocks are stressed. probable that juvenile emanations ascending from below (from sima) become fixed in the upljer layers of the crust of the eart’h and aid a progressive different.iation of sial at, the cost of sima. As shown by the authors (1952) the relations of t,he lithosphere with hydrosphere and biosphere are manifest. Equally important connections are now pronounced to exist betxeen the deep layers of the earth (sima) and the base of the lithosphere. A short’ and factual account cannot gix-e justice to a work of inspiration. nor is it fair to condense more than 600 pages in a brief review. I fee! that. t,he geologist Inl-ing his subject n-ill find great pleasure and stimulat,ion from this book, and will eagerly await, the fort,hcoming of the additional volumes. TOM. F. T\-. BARTH E. WM. HEIXRICH: Microscopic Petrography. 1956. 296 pp., 70 illustrations. Price $6.50.
McGraw-Hill
Book
C’ompa,ny, Jnc., SCM- York,
THE raison d‘&tre of the present book is explained in th(a preface: lwtro~raph>- to&>- stands as a 1)etrological tool ant1 no longer as an end itself: thaw recent books. lxsing lwoccupied mainly wit,h petrogenesis, have forced students to refer to ol(ler books for lwtrop’aphic information. 17et many new petrographic data and many fine petrographic studies have sulq~lemcntetl or revised older pet,rographic descript,ions. This new information has been used in thr present, book. The methods of microscopic st’udy are first explained. Then follo\v the rocks: as usual they are divided into igneous, sedimentary, and mctaniorphic~. par11 division is again divided into a general and a descriptive chapter. The general chapters arc’ brief and tr>- lo civc a rapid siurcy of genesis. classification. texture am1 microstrurtrwr~. Th(% tlcscril)t ions a.re c*c)mlwehmsi\-c. well illiwtratcd and give excellent information about thr mic-roscwpir lwtrcqral)h\- of a great numbrq of rwk tyl-es. Howe\-rr, the enormous masses of pncissr;;, pnclissgranites mltl miglnntitcs. the flesh and blood of the crust of the earth are niggardly twatcd. But. generally sprakillg t,he student n-ill find pertinent and useful. well arrangetl ant1 c*arefiill>- lnwx~ntcll informnt,ion.
244