Continuum Theories in Solid Earth Physics (Physics and Evolution of the Earth's Interior 3)

Oversized cloth hardcover, xiii + 566 pages, NOT ex-library. Weight over 1kg. Clean and bright interior, untanned, with unmarked text, free of inscriptions and stamps, securely bound. Faint dusty marks on outer page edges; dusty fingermarks on the boards. Upper and lower board edges affected by age-staining. Dust jacket with numerous short tears along the edges. -- The third installment in the prestigious series Physics and Evolution of the Earth's Interior. The book provides a rigorous mathematical foundation for understanding the mechanical behavior of the Earth's crust and mantle through the lens of continuum mechanics. Unlike standard geophysics textbooks, this work focuses on the theoretical physics required to model large-scale geological processes, such as tectonic plate movement, earthquake preparation, and the long-term deformation of the Earth's interior. Thematic Scope and Content: The monograph is structured to move from classical elasticity to more complex, modern theories of matter: - Classical Elasticity and Fluid Dynamics: Establishing the baseline for how solid rock and semi-viscous mantle materials respond to stress and strain. - Theory of Dislocations and Defects: A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the "dislocation theory" of earthquakes. It models faults not just as simple cracks, but as mathematical dislocations in a continuous medium. - Non-Classical Continua: The text explores advanced theories such as micropolar elasticity and magneto-elasticity, which account for the granular nature of rocks and the influence of the Earth's magnetic field on mechanical properties. - Thermodynamics of the Interior: Analyzing the heat flow and energy dissipation associated with the Earth's internal "engine." The work is highly mathematical, utilizing tensor calculus and differential geometry to describe the evolution of the Earth's physical state over time. It is intended for theoretical geophysicists and seismologists who require precise models for: - Pre-seismic stress accumulation; - The propagation of seismic waves in complex media; - The slow, "creeping" flow of the mantle (mantle convection).…