List of important publications in geology

This is a list of important publications in geology, organized by field.

Some reasons why a particular publication might be regarded as important:

• Topic creator – A publication that created a new topic
• Breakthrough – A publication that changed scientific knowledge significantly
• Introduction – A publication that is a good introduction or survey of a topic
• Influence – A publication which has significantly influenced the world
• Latest and greatest – The current most advanced result in a topic

Additional recommended knowledge

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Foundations

Principles of Geology

Author: Charles Lyell

Publication data: 1830–1833.

Online version: Online version at esp.org

Description: The work's subtitle was "An Attempt to Explain the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface by Reference to Causes now in Operation", and this explains Lyell's impact on science: he was, along with the earlier John Playfair, the major advocate of the then-controversial idea of uniformitarianism, that the earth was shaped entirely by slow-moving forces acting over a very long period of time. This was in contrast to catastrophism, a geologic idea that went hand-in-hand with the age of the earth suggested by biblical chronology. In various revised editions (twelve in all, through 1872), Principles of Geology was the most influential geological work in the middle of the 19th century, and did much to put geology on a modern footing.

Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence

Geology Illustrated

Author: John Shelton

W.H. Freeman, 1966, Library of Congress Catalog Card # 66-16380

Description: Spectacular air photos of geological features, mostly in the western US.

Importance: "The one geology book that I'd preserve if an asteroid were approaching and all of geological knowledge were to be wiped out. Simply put, I don't think I've ever seen a book that communicates so much information, and trains the reader so well, while still being a joy to read." -- Marek Cichanski, Geology Instructor, De Anza College, Cupertino, California.

URL: http://home.earthlink.net/~marekc/geology_books.htm

Biogeology

Economic geology

Mineral Resources On-Line Spatial Data

Subtitle: A source for regional and global geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral resource maps and data, by US Geological Survey

URL: http://mrdata.usgs.gov/

(accessed June 25 2006; page last revised 31 May 2006)

Description: This is the portal for a basic tool for finding information on the location and characteristics of almost all known mineral deposits in the United States, with some information on major mineral deposits worldwide.

Importance: A key online mineral-resource database for economic geology

Ore Deposits of the United States, 1933-1967: the Graton-Sales volume

Editor John D. Ridge

AIME, New York, 1968. Two volumes.

Description: Descriptions of major ore deposits. Updates the earlier Lindgren volume.

Importance: A basic reference work for all economic geologists

Engineering geology

Engineering Geology: Rock in Engineering Construction

Author: Richard E. Goodman

John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1993

Engineering Geology for Civil Engineers

Oxford &IBH publishers, 1996, India

D.Venkat Reddy

Description: Essential points of fundamental geology and their application to Civil Engineering are covered in initial chapters. Exclusive chapters are devoted to weathering of rocks,soils, geological work of rivers, oceans, groundwater; earthquakes and seismic hazards,site investigation techniques for civil engineering constructions, dams and reservoirs, tunnels, landslides , buildings, bridges and environmental geology. Illustrative case histories and examples are cited. Thought questions and supplementary questions are included to help students.

Importance:This book is intended to help the students of Civil Engineering who wish to specialise in practising geology in Civil Engineering. The main objective of the book is to develop deeper interest into geological aspects of Civil Engineering works. This book provides a common ground of knowledge and understanding to the instructors as well as students to build up technical and professional skill necessary for applying geology in Civil Engineering practice.

Geochemistry

Victor Moritz Goldschmidt: Father of Modern Geochemistry

Author: Brian Mason

(ISBN 0-941809-03-X)

Description:

Importance:

Geodetics

Map Projections - A Working Manual.

Author: Snyder, J. P.

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1395 (Book), 1987.

Description:

Importance:

Geomorphology

Report on the Geology of the Henry Mountains

Author: Grove Karl Gilbert

U.S.G.S. Professional Paper, 1877

Description:

Importance:

Geophysics

The Solid Earth: An Introduction to Global Geophysics, by C.M.R. Fowler, published by Cambridge University Press - provides a broad and largely non-mathematical introduction to global geophysics.

Geodynamics by Donald L. Turcotte and Gerald Schubert, published by Cambridge University Press - provides a mathematical account of the geophysical processes occurring within the outer ~100 km of the Earth.

Geotechnical engineering

Theoretical Soil Mechanics

Author: Karl von Terzaghi

John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1943

Description:

Importance:

Hydrogeology

The Public Fountains of the City of Dijon.

Author: Henry Darcy, English translation by Patricia Bobeck

KENDALL/HUNT PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1856, (ISBN 0-7575-0540-6).

P.O. Box 1840,

Dubuque, Iowa 52004-1840.

800-338-8290.

www.kendallhunt.com

Description:

Importance:

Groundwater

Author:R. Allan Freeze and John A. Cherry

Prentice Hall, 1979, (ISBN 0-13-365312-9).

Description:

Importance:

Mineralogy

Textbook on Mineralogy (De Natura Fossilium)

Author: Georg Frederick Agricola, translated from Latin by Mark Chance Bandy and Jean Bandy

PUBLISHED BY THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

Description: Systematic treatise of then known minerals and gemstones as well as other rocks.

Importance: The first systematic mineralogical treatise since Pliny's Natural History, first published in 1564

URL http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/agricola_textbook_of_mineralogy/page_001

Petroleum geology

Sedimentology

Sedimentary Environments and Facies

Editor: H.G. Reading

(ISBN 0-444-00276-6)

Description: A detailed look at sedimentary environments and the deposits they produce.

Importance: advanced reference

Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Author: Sam Boggs, Jr.

(ISBN 0-13-154728-3)

Description:

Importance: introduction

Stratigraphy

De solido intra solidum naturaliter contento dissertationis prodromus

Author: Steno, Nicolaus (Stensen, Niels),

Firenze, 79p, 1669.

Description:

Importance:

Einleitung in die Geologie als historische Wissenschaft. Beobachtung über die Bildung der Gesteine und ihrer organischen Einschlüsse

Author: Walther, Johannes,

G. Fischer, Jena, 1055p, 1893.

Description:

Importance:

Structural geology

Folding and fracturing of rocks

Author: J. G. Ramsay

McGraw-Hill, 1967

Description:

Importance:

Paleontology

Petrology

The Evolution of the Igneous Rocks

Author: Norman L. Bowen

1928

Description:

Importance: breakthrough, influence

Metamorphic Phase Equilibria and Pressure-Temperature-Time Paths

Author: Frank S. Spear

1993

Description:

Presents the thermodynamic basis for modern, quantitative petrology and systematically reviews metamorphism for most rock types.

Seismology

Quantitative Seismology, 2nd Edition

Author: Keiiti Aki, Paul G. Richards University Science Books, 2002

Description: Chapters outline basic theorems in dynamic elasticity, representation of seismic sources, elastic waves from a point dislocation, plane waves in homogeneous media and their reflection and transmission at a plane boundary, reflection and refraction of spherical waves; Lamb's problem, surface waves in a vertically heterogeneous medium, free oscillations of the Earth, body waves in media with depth-dependent properties, the seismic source: kinematics, the seismic source: dynamics, and principles of seismometry

Importance: This is the basic textbook used by theoretical seismologists

Tectonics

Volcanology

Encyclopedia of Volcanoes

Author: Haraldur Sigurdsson, Bruce Houghton, Stephen R. McNutt, Hazel Rymer, John Stix - Editors

Academic Press, London, 2000

Description:

Importance:

Volcanoes

Author: Gordon A. Macdonald

Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1972

(ISBN 0-13-942219-6)

Description:

Importance:

See also