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Orogeny
Precambrmn Research, 23 (1983) 197--198
197
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - - P r i n t e d in The Netherlands
Book R e n e w
Orogeny. A. Miyashiro, K. Aki and A.M.C. ~engSr (Editors). Wiley, Chichester, 1982, 242 pp., Paperback, £8.40, ISBN 0 471 10377 2, cloth £19.00, US $39.95, ISBN 0 471 10376 4. Virtually every major facet of tectonics is interestingly reviewed in this modest-size book, which consists of five separate single-author chapters, each with its own list of references, and includes a c o m m o n index. This English language ed,tion of the original, published in Japanese in 1979, is clearly written and liberally illustrated with small black-line drawings. The print style is easy to read and there are few typographic errors. Chapter 1 (@engSr) covers the classical theories of orogeny that were developed from the mid-1600's to the early 1900's before the plate tectonic revolution. The important early ideas of orogeny are attributed mainly to European scientists, including such names as Nmolaus Steno, Leopold yon Buch, Eduard Suess, Alfred Wegener, Emile Argand and Hans Stille, among many others. Of these, Suess is considered the father of modern tectonics for his monumental multivolume treatise Das Antlitz der Erde (The Face of the Earth), which was published piecemeal from 1883 to 1909. @engSr concludes from his histormal revmw that the geosynclinal concept and terminology should be discarded and that the plate tectomc concept had never been anticipated, even though some of its corollaries (such as subduction) were conceived earher m slightly different form. This overvmw of the early h~story of tectonics was particularly interesting to me as a North American geologist because access to much of the European work is difficult owing to language and geographic bamers. Chapter 2 (Miyashiro) concerns the theory of orogenesis as based on plate tectonms. The basic plate-tectonic concept, formulated by geophysicists in the 1960's, ~s pointed o u t as being distinct from the geologic interpretations made by geologists in the late 1960's and 1970's. The basic principles of plate tectonics are reviewed, the theory of orogeny based on plate tectonics is described, and the development of various orogenic belts of the world is told in plate-tectonic terms. Chapter 3 (Miyashiro) deals with the petrology of orogenic belts, as seen from both prevmus and current plate tectonic wewpoints. The various major topics discussed are: volcanic rocks in island arcs and active continental margms, the nature of granitic belts, the origin of magmas in relation to strontium isotopes, regional metamophism along convergent plate boundarms, secular changes in style of metamorphism and tectonms, and the ophmlite problem. Chapter 4 (Aki) is about the mechanisms of orogeny, which requires an understanding of the mechanical properties of the plates and the stresses acting on them. These mechanical propertms (elasticity, viscosity and frac-
198 ture strength) are deduced from the velocity of selsmm waves, seismic-wave attenuation, response of the crust to long-term stress, and laboratory investigations of the properties of rocks. The stresses acting on the plates are discussed in terms of the model of Elsasser, the models of F o r s y t h and Uyeda, and of Sol om on and others. The mechanism of the Himalayan orogeny is decribed as not having involved subduction, whereas the Andean orogeny resulted from subduction of the Nazca plate. Chapter 5 (Miyashiro) is an excellent summary of Precambrian geology, including the history and classification of the chronology of Precambrian time, the time of stabilization of early cratons, the probable beginning of subduction during the Middle or Late Proterozoic, and the two types of Archean terranes. Most Early and Middle Proterozoic regions have Archean basements. A t t e m p t s have been made to apply plate tectonics to the Proterozoic, but others hold the view that plate tectonics was not operable at that early time. Paleomagnetm data indicate that the Archean cratons of Afrma did n o t change in relative position during and after Proterozoic time. Similar paleomagnetm results were found in Australia and in the Canadian shield, e x cep t that the Grenvdle province may have moved several thousand kilometers before colliding with other rocks of the Canadian shield. Considering the great varmty of topics covered, it is inevitable t hat some geologists revolved m related research will n o t agree completely with the balance of presentation or with the wews of the various authors. For example, the concept of allochthonous accreted terranes, now a major focus of tectomcs research in the Pacific coast regmn of North Amerma and elsewhere, would seem to warrant more discussion than the brief paragraph on page 74. Also, some of the disparaging com m ent s regarding research on ophiolites during the 1970's (pages 161--166) seem unnecessary. Nevertheless, the b o ok generally gives the reader an excellent overview of the varied and exciting field of tectonics research. Perhaps the book's greatest value lies in its d o c u m e n t a t i o n of the e x t e n t to which the plate-tectonic concept has influenced the broad f r ont of tectonics research over the past 15 years. WILLIAM P IRWIN (US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA, U.S.A.)
197
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - - P r i n t e d in The Netherlands
Book R e n e w
Orogeny. A. Miyashiro, K. Aki and A.M.C. ~engSr (Editors). Wiley, Chichester, 1982, 242 pp., Paperback, £8.40, ISBN 0 471 10377 2, cloth £19.00, US $39.95, ISBN 0 471 10376 4. Virtually every major facet of tectonics is interestingly reviewed in this modest-size book, which consists of five separate single-author chapters, each with its own list of references, and includes a c o m m o n index. This English language ed,tion of the original, published in Japanese in 1979, is clearly written and liberally illustrated with small black-line drawings. The print style is easy to read and there are few typographic errors. Chapter 1 (@engSr) covers the classical theories of orogeny that were developed from the mid-1600's to the early 1900's before the plate tectonic revolution. The important early ideas of orogeny are attributed mainly to European scientists, including such names as Nmolaus Steno, Leopold yon Buch, Eduard Suess, Alfred Wegener, Emile Argand and Hans Stille, among many others. Of these, Suess is considered the father of modern tectonics for his monumental multivolume treatise Das Antlitz der Erde (The Face of the Earth), which was published piecemeal from 1883 to 1909. @engSr concludes from his histormal revmw that the geosynclinal concept and terminology should be discarded and that the plate tectomc concept had never been anticipated, even though some of its corollaries (such as subduction) were conceived earher m slightly different form. This overvmw of the early h~story of tectonics was particularly interesting to me as a North American geologist because access to much of the European work is difficult owing to language and geographic bamers. Chapter 2 (Miyashiro) concerns the theory of orogenesis as based on plate tectonms. The basic plate-tectonic concept, formulated by geophysicists in the 1960's, ~s pointed o u t as being distinct from the geologic interpretations made by geologists in the late 1960's and 1970's. The basic principles of plate tectonics are reviewed, the theory of orogeny based on plate tectonics is described, and the development of various orogenic belts of the world is told in plate-tectonic terms. Chapter 3 (Miyashiro) deals with the petrology of orogenic belts, as seen from both prevmus and current plate tectonic wewpoints. The various major topics discussed are: volcanic rocks in island arcs and active continental margms, the nature of granitic belts, the origin of magmas in relation to strontium isotopes, regional metamophism along convergent plate boundarms, secular changes in style of metamorphism and tectonms, and the ophmlite problem. Chapter 4 (Aki) is about the mechanisms of orogeny, which requires an understanding of the mechanical properties of the plates and the stresses acting on them. These mechanical propertms (elasticity, viscosity and frac-
198 ture strength) are deduced from the velocity of selsmm waves, seismic-wave attenuation, response of the crust to long-term stress, and laboratory investigations of the properties of rocks. The stresses acting on the plates are discussed in terms of the model of Elsasser, the models of F o r s y t h and Uyeda, and of Sol om on and others. The mechanism of the Himalayan orogeny is decribed as not having involved subduction, whereas the Andean orogeny resulted from subduction of the Nazca plate. Chapter 5 (Miyashiro) is an excellent summary of Precambrian geology, including the history and classification of the chronology of Precambrian time, the time of stabilization of early cratons, the probable beginning of subduction during the Middle or Late Proterozoic, and the two types of Archean terranes. Most Early and Middle Proterozoic regions have Archean basements. A t t e m p t s have been made to apply plate tectonics to the Proterozoic, but others hold the view that plate tectonics was not operable at that early time. Paleomagnetm data indicate that the Archean cratons of Afrma did n o t change in relative position during and after Proterozoic time. Similar paleomagnetm results were found in Australia and in the Canadian shield, e x cep t that the Grenvdle province may have moved several thousand kilometers before colliding with other rocks of the Canadian shield. Considering the great varmty of topics covered, it is inevitable t hat some geologists revolved m related research will n o t agree completely with the balance of presentation or with the wews of the various authors. For example, the concept of allochthonous accreted terranes, now a major focus of tectomcs research in the Pacific coast regmn of North Amerma and elsewhere, would seem to warrant more discussion than the brief paragraph on page 74. Also, some of the disparaging com m ent s regarding research on ophiolites during the 1970's (pages 161--166) seem unnecessary. Nevertheless, the b o ok generally gives the reader an excellent overview of the varied and exciting field of tectonics research. Perhaps the book's greatest value lies in its d o c u m e n t a t i o n of the e x t e n t to which the plate-tectonic concept has influenced the broad f r ont of tectonics research over the past 15 years. WILLIAM P IRWIN (US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA, U.S.A.)