Review of "The Tectonic and Climatic Evolution of the Arabian Sea Region".

Marine Geophysical Researches 23: 491, 2002. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. 491 Review of "The Tectonic and Climatic Evolution of the Arabian Sea Region". By Martin Palmer Geochemistry School of Ocean and Earth Sciences University of Southampton European Way Southampton SO14 3ZH UK The collision of the Indian sub-continent with Asia and its consequences for the local tectonic evolution and the global climate has been an especially active area of research over the past two decades. The region of the Arabian Sea is a particularly sensitive area in which to study these processes, so that any new study that seeks to tackle this issue is bound to attract considerable interest. This volume addresses the topic through a themed set of papers that are roughly ar- ranged in order of decreasing time span from the initial collision of Indian and Asia towards the present day. A wide range of disciplines is represented in this book; including, geophysics, geology, geochemistry, sedi- mentology and palaeoceanography. The geographical spread of the studies is similarly wide-ranging; cover- ing Iran in the west to the eastern portions of India. While this breadth of coverage means that there is something for everyone in this volume, it is also likely to mean that this is a book that is best suited for the library rather than one’s personal collection. The collection of 11 papers that cover various aspects of the palaeoceanography of the Arabian Sea represents a valuable resource in its own right. Similarly, the papers that deal with the tectonic evolution of the area and various marine seismic studies will be of interest to the geophysical community. Nevertheless, these are subject areas that have received extensive coverage in various widely available specialist publications. Hence, I believe that the most valuable parts of this volume are those centred on the geologic mapping and stratigraphy of the regions bordering the Arabian Sea. Papers such as McCall’s 60 page summary of the geology of the Iranian Makran would generally be conﬁned to specialist regional journals and would not enjoy the wide circulation that they deserve, and are made possible by the Geological Society Special Publication Series. In the same vein, there are very nice summaries of the geomorphology of the Oman coast (Uchupi et al.), the Indus Group of the Ladakh Himalaya (Clift et al.), the Zagros mountains of south- ern Iran (Satterzadeh et al.), and the Kirthar fold belt, Pakistan (Smewing et al.). Again, many of these papers might generally be found in the reports of local geological surveys and their interesting insights into the region could easily be missed if they were not col- lected together in a volume such as this. As one might expect these days, the production quality of the ﬁgures is of a consistently high standard. Indeed, the editors should be particularly commended on ensuring that the quality of the writing style is high throughout the volume. This is especially notable when one considers that 11 different countries are represented among the list of authors. Overall, I strongly recommend this book and I would particularly encourage readers to take time to read the regional geological papers that offer a valuable insight into parts of the world that are not easily accessible to most of us.

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Transcript of Review of "The Tectonic and Climatic Evolution of the Arabian Sea Region".

491

Review of "The Tectonic and Climatic Evolution of the Arabian SeaRegion".

ByMartin PalmerGeochemistrySchool of Ocean and Earth SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonEuropean WaySouthamptonSO14 3ZHUK

The collision of the Indian sub-continent with Asiaand its consequences for the local tectonic evolutionand the global climate has been an especially activearea of research over the past two decades. The re-gion of the Arabian Sea is a particularly sensitive areain which to study these processes, so that any newstudy that seeks to tackle this issue is bound to attractconsiderable interest. This volume addresses the topicthrough a themed set of papers that are roughly ar-ranged in order of decreasing time span from the initialcollision of Indian and Asia towards the present day. Awide range of disciplines is represented in this book;including, geophysics, geology, geochemistry, sedi-mentology and palaeoceanography. The geographicalspread of the studies is similarly wide-ranging; cover-ing Iran in the west to the eastern portions of India.While this breadth of coverage means that there issomething for everyone in this volume, it is also likelyto mean that this is a book that is best suited for thelibrary rather than one’s personal collection. The col-lection of 11 papers that cover various aspects of thepalaeoceanography of the Arabian Sea represents avaluable resource in its own right. Similarly, the pa-pers that deal with the tectonic evolution of the areaand various marine seismic studies will be of interestto the geophysical community. Nevertheless, theseare subject areas that have received extensive cover-age in various widely available specialist publications.Hence, I believe that the most valuable parts of this

volume are those centred on the geologic mappingand stratigraphy of the regions bordering the ArabianSea. Papers such as McCall’s 60 page summary ofthe geology of the Iranian Makran would generallybe confined to specialist regional journals and wouldnot enjoy the wide circulation that they deserve, andare made possible by the Geological Society SpecialPublication Series. In the same vein, there are verynice summaries of the geomorphology of the Omancoast (Uchupi et al.), the Indus Group of the LadakhHimalaya (Clift et al.), the Zagros mountains of south-ern Iran (Satterzadeh et al.), and the Kirthar fold belt,Pakistan (Smewing et al.). Again, many of these pa-pers might generally be found in the reports of localgeological surveys and their interesting insights intothe region could easily be missed if they were not col-lected together in a volume such as this. As one mightexpect these days, the production quality of the figuresis of a consistently high standard. Indeed, the editorsshould be particularly commended on ensuring thatthe quality of the writing style is high throughout thevolume. This is especially notable when one considersthat 11 different countries are represented among thelist of authors. Overall, I strongly recommend thisbook and I would particularly encourage readers totake time to read the regional geological papers thatoffer a valuable insight into parts of the world that arenot easily accessible to most of us.