Stress and Deformation: A Handbook on Tensors in Geology

Abstract

Okay, everyone who thinks that continuum mechanics makes inherently fascinating, light reading, raise your hands. Hmm, I thought so. Most geologists and not a few geophysicists view continuum mechanics almost as a necessary evil, somewhat akin to a bad tasting medicine, which will make us better scientists even though the process of acquiring that knowledge may be unpleasant. Nonetheless, there is something appealing about the common mechanical underpinnings of such diverse topics as structuralgeology, crystallography, glacial physics, and seismology, to name a few. The question is, how can we teach continuum mechanics to students so that they not only “get it” but appreciate it?