The Making of Europe A Geological History

About this book

The continent of Europe, as a recognisable geographic entity, attained roughly its present shape around 20 million years ago. Even since then, the European coastline has undergone significant changes, due mainly to sea-level movements. Graham Park relates how Europe has been assembled through geological time by the accretion of various distinct geological components, some of which have travelled a considerable distance across the globe to reach their present positions.

This is a book for all those curious about the shape, variety and origins of the continent of Europe. How did it come to adopt the shapes shown on maps? Why are there such distinct regions and landscapes, ranging from the wide plains of Northern Europe to the mountains of the South? Copiously illustrated in colour, with technical terms kept to a minimum, The Making of Europe will educate and inform all those who travel in Europe and those interested in the study of geology.

Contents

Acknowledgements
List of illustrations
Sourced illustrations
Preface

1. Introduction
2. The construction of Baltica - 'Proto-Europe'
3. Lower Palaeozoic growth of Europe
4. The Caledonian Orogeny
5. The Expansion of Europe in the Upper Palaeozoic
6. The Hercynian Orogenic Cycle
7. Europe in the Mesozoic to Mid-Cenozoic
8. The Alpine Orogeny
9. Neogene to Quaternary Europe

Appendix
Glossary
Further Reading

Customer Reviews

Biography

Graham Park is Emeritus Professor of Tectonic Geology at the University of Keele and author of the popular Introducing Geology.