Fractals and Chaos in Geology and Geophysics

• Preface; Preface to the second edition; 1. Scale invariance; 2. Definition of a fractal set; 3. Fragmentation; 4. Seismicity and tectonics; 5. Ore grade and tonnage; 6. Fractal clustering; 7. Self-affine fractals; 8. Geomorphology; 9. Dynamical systems; 10. Logistic map; 11. Slider-block models; 12. Lorenz equations; 13. Is mantle convection chaotic?; 14. Rikitake dynamo; 15. Renormalization group method; 16. Self-organized criticality; 17. Where do we stand?; References; Appendix A: glossary of terms; Appendix B: units and symbols; Answers to selected problems; Index.

'Fractals and Chaos in Geology and Geophysics, Second Edition, is the best technical introduction to chaos known to me … All of the basic concepts of chaos theory are introduced and exquisitely explained in terms of a selection of examples, most of which are taken from the Earth sciences … To conclude, this book demonstrates beautifully that chaos is neither frivolous like the flapping of wings by a butterfly nor arid like complexity or the nonconvergence of an iterative procedure; it shows the weighty, substantial nature of this subject. The book can be unhesitatingly recommended not only to students and nonspecialists, but certainly also to the working scientist and the teacher.' Michael Danos, EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union