Newman W.I. Continuum Mechanics in the Earth Sciences

Cambridge University Press, 2012. — 196 p. — ISBN: 978-0-521-56289-8.Continuum mechanics lies at the heart of studies into many geological and geophysical phenomena, from earthquakes and faults to the fluid dynamics of the Earth. Based on the author’s extensive teaching and research experience, this interdisciplinary book provides geoscientists, physicists and applied mathematicians with a class-tested, accessible overview of continuum mechanics.
Starting from thermodynamic principles and geometrical insights, the book surveys solid, fluid, and gas dynamics. In later review chapters, it explores new aspects of the field emerging from nonlinearity and dynamical complexity, and provides a brief introduction to computational modeling. Simple, yet rigorous, derivations are used to review the essential mathematics, assuming an undergraduate geophysics, physics, engineering or mathematics background. The author emphasizes the full three-dimensional geometries of real-world examples, enabling students to apply these in deconstructing solid-Earth and planet-related problems.
Problem sets and worked examples are provided, making this a practical resource for graduate students in geophysics, planetary physics and geology, as well as a beneficial tool for professional scientists seeking a better understanding of the mathematics and physics underlying problems in the Earth sciences.