Oceanic basalts are the most abundant rock type found at the earth's
surface, and as such they have been the subject of considerable
research, particularly since the concept of sea-floor spreading became
widely accepted. This book provides a review of these rocks, first
dicussing how we sample the ocean floor and what we know about the
structure of the oceanic crust, followed by an overview of the various
regional settings (Pacific crust, Atlantic crust, marginal basins,
seamounts and islands) and finally examines the main processes (and
their interactions) which prevail during the generation and emplacement
of oceanic basalt magmas. This is a volume for geologists, geochemists
and geophysicists and a source of reference for advanced undergraduate
students and postgraduates in these disciplines.
