Knowledge and Geological Comments understanding techniques and skills b. Being of relatively low density, Investigation of the age Candidates are continental lithosphere resists distribution of rocks in expected to have subduction and tends to avoid continental areas using investigated destruction during plate tectonic geological maps. geochronological map cycles, hence the oldest data for a continental Earth’s crustal rocks are found in area e.g. North America continental areas. and be able to relate this to the evolution of the continent. Orogenic belts are sites of major Identification of large scale lithospheric thickening. features of continental geology and interpretation continent-continent collision. of their origin and tectonic continent-island arc collision. setting. cordilleran mountain belts. incorporation of oceanic lithosphere into orogenic belts; ophiolites and Investigation of isostasy in accretionary prisms. continental and oceanic partial melting and granite. lithosphere. magmatism; delamination. isostatic uplift and gravitational collapse. d. Forces acting on the continental Field interpretation of folds Candidates should be crust (plate boundary forces and and faults in terms of aware that folds and gravitational spreading) give rise applied stresses, and their reverse faults indicate to tectonic stresses that cause relationship to the regional crustal shortening in brittle and ductile deformation on structural setting. orogenic belts (e.g. all scales in crustal rocks. Himalayas) but post- orogenic extension by gravitational collapse results in normal faulting. Regional structures. fold and thrust belts. nappe structures occur in compressive tectonic settings and may include large-scale recumbent together with shearing along low angle, thrust faults.
Knowledge and understanding Geological techniques and skills Comments b. Being of relatively low density, continental lithosphere resists subduction and tends to avoid destruction during plate tectonic cycles, hence the Earth’s oldest crustal rocks are found in continental areas. Investigation of the age distribution of rocks in continental areas using geological maps. Candidates are expected to have investigated geochronological map data for a continental area e.g. North America and be able to relate this to the evolution of the continent. Orogenic belts are sites of major lithospheric thickening. continent-continent collision. continent-island arc collision. cordilleran mountain belts. incorporation of oceanic lithosphere into orogenic belts; ophiolites and accretionary prisms. partial melting and granite. magmatism; delamination. isostatic uplift and gravitational collapse. Identification of large scale features of continental geology and interpretation of their origin and tectonic setting. Investigation of isostasy in continental and oceanic lithosphere. d. Forces acting on the continental crust (plate boundary forces and gravitational spreading) give rise to tectonic stresses that cause brittle and ductile deformation on all scales in crustal rocks. Field interpretation of folds and faults in terms of applied stresses, and their relationship to the regional structural setting. Candidates should be aware that folds and reverse faults indicate crustal shortening in orogenic belts (e.g. Himalayas) but post- orogenic extension by gravitational collapse results in normal faulting. Regional structures. fold and thrust belts. nappe structures occur in compressive tectonic settings and may include large-scale recumbent together with shearing along low angle, thrust faults.
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