Plate Tectonics

‘Plate tectonics is the topic that made me want to become a geologist. I’ve waited for nearly two decades for the book that would help convey my interest in this topic to undergraduate students. The online exercises, emodule, and animations are especially valuable teaching aids. I plan to switch to this textbook right away.’ Sarah Titus, Carleton College‘Plate tectonics is the most rapidly evolving field within Earth science and this textbook provides students with a comprehensive, 21st-century overview of the latest discoveries and changes of opinion. It is a highly valuable resource for all geoscience educators.’ Richard Palin, University of Oxford‘Incredibly detailed and thorough, well-referenced and grounded in the literature, this book makes complex concepts accessible, through the use of detailed and beautiful color figures. I highly recommend this text for any upper-level undergraduate / graduate plate tectonics course.’ Cara Burberry, University of Nebraska–Lincoln‘This highly accessible and beautifully illustrated book provides a comprehensive summary of progress over the past 50 years of research on plate tectonics in decoding the imprint of plate interactions through the lens of modern structural geology.’ Jeffrey A. Karson, Syracuse University‘Plate Tectonics is a truly exceptional and excellent textbook. Given the diversity of tectonic knowledge that has been acquired over the decades, simply putting together the material for this book required monumental effort and dedication from the authors. Many readers will be familiar with Fossen’s Structural Geology (2010). Plate Tectonics, co-authored with Teyssier, has the same attention to detail, manifest in the clear and engaging text, exquisite illustrations, and rich array of supporting online resources. The two books are complementary, together developing into a progressive narrative of our understanding of deformation across our planet. [Plate Tectonics] is likely to be widely adopted as a teaching resource … for those building from physical and geological aspects of Earth sciences and showing how knowledge of tectonic processes and evolution relies on diverse information and approaches - Plate Tectonics is ideal and also just a damn good read.’ Rob Butler, Geoscientist

Haakon Fossen is a longstanding professor of Structural Geology at the University of Bergen and has previously worked as an exploration and production geoscientist. His research ranges from hard to soft rocks and is based on field mapping, microscopy, physical and numerical modelling, geochronology, and seismic interpretation. He has authored close to 200 scientific publications and holds the first Nordic Geoscientist Award, a University of Minnesota Distinguished Leadership Award, and an Outstanding Paper Award from the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Society of America, of which he is also a Fellow. Professor Fossen has written several other books and book chapters, including his market-leading Structural Geology (2016)textbook for Cambridge University Press, and has a keen interest in developing electronic resources for teaching and outreach.

Christian Teyssier is a professor in the Department of Earth Science at the University of Minnesota and has been a professor of geoscience since 1985. His research interests are structural geology and tectonics, metamorphic geology, geochemistry/geochronology, numerical modelling, orogenic processes such as crustal melting and orogenic collapse as well as oblique tectonics, with an emphasis on field-based observations. He holds a University of Minnesota Distinguished Teaching Award for Outstanding Contributions to Post-Baccalaureate Graduate and Professional Education, and a Best Paper Award from the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Society of America, of which he has been a Fellow. Professor Teyssier has authored/co-authored over 150 scientific publications.