Introduction to Geochemistry-Principles and Applications by Wiley Blackwell

Book Name: Introduction to Geochemistry: Principles and Applications
Author: Kula C. Misra

Preface:

Geochemistry deals essentially with the processes and consequences of the distribution of elements in minerals and rocks in different physical-chemical environments and, as such, permeates all branches of geology to varying degrees. An adequate background in geochemistry is, therefore, imperative for earth science students. This book is an attempt to cater to that need. It covers a wide variety of topics, ranging from atomic structures that determine the chemical behavior of elements to modern biogeochemical cycles that control the global-scale distribution of elements. It is intended to serve as a text for an introductory undergraduate/graduate level course in geochemistry, and it should also provide the necessary background for more advanced courses in mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry.

Content Overview:

The organization of the book is logical and quite different from the geochemistry texts in the market. Excluding the “Introduction,” the 12 chapters of the book are divided into four interrelated parts:

1. Crystal Chemistry (Chapters 2 and 3):
   • Provides a brief review of the electronic structure of atoms and different kinds of chemical bonds.
2. Chemical Reactions (Chapters 4 through 9):
   • Discusses the thermodynamic basis of chemical reactions involving phases of constant and variable composition, including reactions relevant to aqueous systems and reactions useful for geothermometry and geobarometry.
   • A substantial portion of the chapter on oxidation-reduction reactions (Chapter 8) is devoted to a discussion of the role of bacteria in such reactions.
   • The last chapter of this section is a brief introduction to the kinetic aspects of chemical reactions.
3. Isotope Geochemistry (Chapters 10 and 11):
   • Introduces students to radiogenic and stable isotopes and their applications to geologic problems, ranging from dating rocks and minerals to interpreting an anoxic atmosphere during the Hadean and Archean eras.
4. The Earth Supersystem (Chapters 12 and 13):
   • An overview of the origin and evolution of the solid Earth (core, mantle, and crust), and of the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
   • A brief discussion of some important biogeochemical cycles provides a capstone to the introductory course.

Quantitative Aspects and Learning Tools:

The treatment in this book recognizes the welcome fact that geochemistry has become increasingly more quantitative and assumes that the students have taken the usual selection of elementary courses in earth sciences, chemistry, and mathematics. Nevertheless, most relevant chemical concepts and mathematical relations are developed from first principles. It is the author’s experience that the derivation of an equation enhances the appreciation for its applications and limitations. To maintain the flow of the text, some derivations and tangential material are separated from the text in the form of “boxes.” Supplementary data and explanations are presented in 10 appendices.

Teaching and Learning Aids:

Each chapter in the book contains many solved examples illustrating the application of geochemistry to real-life geological and environmental problems. At the end of each chapter is a list of computational techniques the students are expected to have learned and a set of questions to reinforce the importance of solving problems. It is an integral part of the learning process that the students solve every one of these problems. To help the students in this endeavor, answers to selected problems are included as an appendix (Appendix 10).

Acknowledgments:

The author owes a debt of gratitude to all peers who took the time to review selected parts of the manuscript: D. Sherman, University of Bristol; D.G. Pearson, Durham University; Hilary Downes, University College (London); Harry McSween, Jr., University of Tennessee (Knoxville); and Harold Rowe, University of Texas (Arlington). Their constructive critiques resulted in significant improvement of the book, but the author takes full responsibility for all shortcomings of the book.

Thanks are also due to many colleagues in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee – Christopher Fedo, Robert Hatcher, Linda Kah, Theodore Labotka, Colin Sumrall, and Lawrence Taylor – who, in the course of many discussions, patiently shared their expertise on selected topics covered in the book. The author is particularly grateful to Harry McSween for many prolonged discussions regarding the origin and early history of the Earth and to Ian Francis, Senior Commissioning Editor, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wiley-Blackwell Publishers, for his sustained encouragement throughout this endeavor.

The author is also indebted to many publishers and individuals who have kindly allowed the inclusion of copyrighted figures in the book. Lastly, and most importantly, this book could not have been completed without the patience of the author’s wife, children, and grandchildren, who had to endure the preoccupation with the book for long stretches.

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Kula C. Misra
University of Tennessee
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Knoxville, TN 37996
May 2011