ALBERT

Description / Table of Contents: Sedimentary facies in the subsurface are usually interpreted from a epositional/stratigraphical perspective: the depositional layering is generally considered to remain undisturbed, except in a few settings. But, there is growing evidence that subsurface sediment mobilization (SSM) is more widespread than previously thought, as new observations arise from the ever-increasing resolution of subsurface data. Many examples are from hydrocarbon provinces but studies elsewhere, for example in preparation for the underground storage of hazardous waste, have yielded unexpected examples. Although until now the different aspects of SSM, including soft sediment deformations, sand injections, shale diapirs, mud volcanoes, etc, have been separated, the new discoveries emphasize their inter-connection, regardless of scale, depth, location, grain size or trigger mechanism. This volume integrates the different aspects of sediment mobilization in the subsurface and their structural consequences, allowing a more generaland a more coherent view of the subject.

Description / Table of Contents: This title has arisen from the Geological Society of London conference of the same name. Since the publication of the predecessor of this book (‘Modern insights into structural interpretation, validation and modelling’, SP99, 1996, edited by Buchanan & Nieuwland) much progress has been made. This has been primarily thanks to the continuously increasing computing speed and computer memory capacity, which has positively affected all fields in structural interpretation, seismics and modelling, directly or indirectly. ‘New insights in structural interpretation and modelling’, presents a balanced overview of what the title promises. It is intended as a book that will serve the experienced professional as well as more advanced students in earth sciences, with a broad selection of topics ranging from classical field based studies to state of the art analogue and numerical modeling. The leaders of their fields have written some of the chapters, whereas younger authors with a fresh outlook and new ideas have written other chapters.

Description / Table of Contents: Isotope geochemistry has produced many technical developments in the past decade or so that have revolutionized the potential information available on the tectonics of metamorphic belts from geochronology. These include the ability to date minerals and rocks on small spatial scales, scales that at last approach those from which other types of information — structural and petrological — are obtained. However, interpreting the new data, and their integration with the other datasets available, is not straightforward and requires careful chemical and textural observations that go hand-inhand with the geochronology. The increasing realization of the importance of this approach has led to a number of symposia at international conferences devoted to this topic in recent years. The set of papers in this book emanates from one such symposium and describes recent progress in integrating this new information with other datasets from metamorphic petrology on a mineral and sub-mineral scale.

Description / Table of Contents: Applications of X-ray computed tomography in the geosciences / F. Mees, R. Swennen, M. Van Geet and P. Jacobs / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 1-6, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.01 --- Applications of high-resolution X-ray computed tomography in petrology, meteoritics and palaeontology / W. D. Carlson, T. Rowe, R. A. Ketcham and M. W. Colbert / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 7-22, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.02 --- Computed tomography in petroleum engineering research / S. Akin and A. R. Kovscek / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 23-38, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.03 --- Study of the microgeometry of porous materials using synchrotron computed microtomography / K. W. Jones, H. Feng, W. B. Lindquist, P. M. Adler, J. F. Thovert, B. Vekemans, L. Vincze, I. Szaloki, R. Van Grieken, F. Adams and C. Riekel / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 39-49, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.04 --- Porosity measurements of sedimentary rocks by means of microfocus X-ray computed tomography (μCT) / M. Van Geet, D. Lagrou and R. Swennen / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 51-60, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.05 --- Quantitative characterization of fracture apertures using microfocus computed tomography / K. Vandersteen, B. Busselen, K. Van Den Abeele and J. Carmeliet / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 61-68, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.06 --- Three-dimensional visualization of fractures in rock test samples, simulating deep level mining excavations, using X-ray computed tomography / E. Sellers, A. Vervoort and J. Van Cleynenbreugel / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 69-80, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.07 --- Geostatistics and the representative elementary volume of gamma ray tomography attenuation in rock cores / J. R. Vogel and G. O. Brown / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 81-93, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.08 --- Porosity and fluid flow characterization of granite by capillary wetting using X-ray computed tomography / Y. Géraud, F. Surma and F. Mazerolle / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 95-105, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.09 --- Direct imaging of fluid flow in fault-related rocks by X-ray CT / T. Hirono, M. Takahashi and S. Nakashima / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 107-115, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.10 --- Rock drying tests monitored by X-ray computed tomography — the effect of saturation methods on drying behaviour / B. Rousset-Tournier, F. Mazerolle, Y. Géraud and D. Jeannette / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 117-125, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.11 --- Characterization by X-ray computed tomography of water absorption in a limestone used as building stone in the Oviedo Cathedral (Spain) / V. G. Ruiz de Argandoña, A. Rodriguez-Rey, C. Celorio, L. Calleja and L. M. Suárez del Rio / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 127-134, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.12 --- Estimation of porosity and hydraulic conductivity from X-ray CT-measured solute breakthrough / S. H. Anderson, H. Wang, R. L. Peyton and C. J. Gantzer / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 135-149, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.13 --- Assessment of soil structure using X-ray computed tomography / H. Rogasik, I. Onasch, J. Brunotte, D. Jegou and O. Wendroth / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 151-165, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.14 --- 3D soil image characterization applied to hydraulic properties computation / J. F. Delerue, E. Perrier, A. Timmerman and R. Swennen / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 167-176, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.15 --- Evaluation of local porosity changes in limestone samples under triaxial stress field by using X-ray computed tomography / C. O. Karacan, A. S. Grader and P. M. Halleck / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 177-189, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.16 --- Monitoring void ratio redistribution during continuous undrained triaxial compression by X-ray computed tomography / P. R. Thomson and R. C. K. Wong / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 191-198, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.17 --- The use of X-ray computed tomography in the investigation of the settlement behaviour of compacted mudrock / M. A. O’Neill, A. K. Goodwin and W. F. Anderson / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 199-204, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.18 --- Industrial X-ray computed tomography studies of lake sediment drill cores / A. Flisch and A. Becker / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 205-212, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.19 --- Analysis of analogue models by helical X-ray computed tomography / G. Schreurs, R. Hänni, M. Panien and P. Vock / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 213-223, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.20 --- Preliminary microfocus X-ray computed tomography survey of echinoid fossil microstructure / S. R. Stock and A. Veis / Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 215, 225-235, 1 January 2003, https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.215.01.21

Description / Table of Contents: Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is transforming the way earth scientists and engineers describe and interpret near-surface sedimentary environments in the field. Because of recent advances in equipment, GPR now provides continuous, high-resolution data that other geophysical investigative tools cannot achieve. GPR has proven useful in a wide array of environmental, geological, and engineering applications. Included in this book are practical guidelines for data collection and interpretation, from antennae configurations to sequence stratigraphy, together with new advances such as vertical radar profiles and 3-D GPR imaging for hydrocarbon reservoir modelling, designed to assist new and veteran users get the most from GPR. Case studies in this book detail GPR investigations in a wide array of sedimentary environments including alluvial fans, braided rivers, spits, beaches, sand dunes, lakes, bogs, and floodplains. Examples of GPR investigation applied to stratigraphic correlation problems in Holocene, Pleistocene, and ancient sediments; hydrocarbon reservoir modelling; and detection and mapping of contaminants, reservoir infilling, land mines, and fault displacements are included.

Description / Table of Contents: Intraplate strike-slip deformation belts are common tectonic features, particularly at convergent plate boundaries, where they are produced by both oblique convergence and continental indentation. These lithosphere-scale structures, which also occur in other geodynamic environments such as passive margins, are characterized by complex structural architectures, by the occurrence of large earthquakes, and by the fast uplift and/or subsidence of localized crustal sectors. Intraplate strike-slip belts can also control the ascent and emplacement of deeply sourced magmas. In some cases, intraplate strike-slip belts link with oceanic fracture zones and transform faults, transferring transform shear from the ridges to the interior of the plates. This evidence has an important impact of the classical concept of transform faulting. This volume contains 13 papers from an international field of contributors. Studies of intraplate strike-slip deformation belts from Africa, Antarctica, Eurasia, North America and South America are included.

Description / Table of Contents: This publication introduces the newly developed, integrated discipline of fracture and in-situstress characterization of hydrocarbon reservoirs, through 16 well-illustrated case studies. These cover a wide range of tools, from borehole Scale (logs and cores) to reservoir scale (3-D and 4-D seismic). It also covers surface studies (outcrop and remote sensing). In addition, it addresses the impact of fractures and in-situ stresses on fluid flows and their simulation. This volume deals with a subject that is gaining increasing interest with the advancement of technologies and shifting boundaries of marginal fields into more challenging ground. Fractures and their response to current-day in-situ stresses have become a crucial part of reservoir characterization in deep tight reservoirs. In addition, maturing reservoirs, which were considered as 'conventional' at discovery, are displaying symptoms characteristic of fractures and/or geomechanical contribution. This has lead to the need to delineate the fractures and the stresses in these reservoirs and revise reservoir management accordingly. The book will be of interest to a broad range of readers from both academic and industrial institutes, who are researching and dealing with hydrocarbon reservoir characterization, simulation and management.

Description / Table of Contents: As frontier exploration in Africa moves into ever-deeper water and new basins, there is an increasing need to mitigate the high costs by reducing risk. One way of doing this is by drawing on knowledge from other areas. The book includes regional papers ranging from syntheses on a continental scale to details of the salt tectonics of the West African margin. It also addresses the need to continue using technologies to their limits by including papers on topics as diverse as gravity interpretation and fluid inclusion studies. The book provides essential reading for those requiring further insight into the origins of Africa's diverse petroleum systems, and will be key to geologists and geophysicists involved in the exploration for and exploitation of oil and gas throughout Africa. Of particular note is the supplementary CD-ROM containing maps of Africa's petroleum basins classified by age of target reservoir system.

Description / Table of Contents: The study of sediments and sedimentary basins in terms of their tectonic environment requires a multidisciplinary approach and has increasingly drawn both techniques and objectives from fields outside sedimentology. The application of different theoretical, experimental and empirical resources provided by structural geology, geochemistry, geophysics, scale modelling, and field geology, complement sedimentological methods, with the combined aim of achieving a deeper understanding of the origins, evolution and significance of sedimentary sequences in terms of their tectonic history. Studies presented in this volume range across a wide spectrum from the analysis of sedimentary sequence architecture at basin scale down to the chemical properties of individual grains, and include studies from a range of tectonic settings. The volume will be of interest to those involved with, or contemplating, studies involving the linkages between tectonics and sedimentation, as well as a wider audience to whom the results of such studies may provide fresh insight.

Description / Table of Contents: Exactly 100 years before the publication of this volume, the first paper which calculated the half-life for the newly discovered radioactive substance U-X (now called 234Th), was published. Now, in this volume, the editors Bernard Bourdon, Gideon Henderson, Craig Lundstrom and Simon Turner have integrated a group of contributors who update our knowledge of U-series geochemistry, offer an opportunity for non-specialists to understand its basic principles, and give us a view of the future of this active field of research. In this volume, for the first time, all the methods for determining the uranium and thorium decay chain nuclides in Earth materials are discussed. It was prepared in advance of a two-day short course (April 3-4, 2003) on U-series geochemistry, jointly sponsored by GS and MSA and presented in Paris, France prior to the joint EGS/AGU/EUG meeting in Nice. The discovery of the 238U decay chain, of course, started with the seminal work of Marie Curie in identifying and separating 226Ra. Through the work of the Curies and others, all the members of the 238U decay chain were identified. An important milestone for geochronometrists was the discovery of 230Th (called Ionium) by Bertram Boltwood, the Yale scientist who also made the first age determinations on minerals using the U-Pb dating method (Boltwood in 1906 established the antiquity of rocks and even identified a mineral from Sri Lanka-then Ceylon as having an age of 2.1 billion years!) The application of the 238U decay chain to the dating of deep sea sediments was by Piggott and Urry in 1942 using the "Ionium" method of dating. Actually they measured 222Ra (itself through 222Rn) assuming secular equilibrium had been established between 230Th and 226Ra. Although 230Th was measured in deep sea sediments by Picciotto and Gilvain in 1954 using photographic emulsions, it was not until alpha spectrometry was developed in the late 1950's that 20Th was routinely measured in marine deposits. Alpha spectrometry and gamma spectrometry became the work horses for the study of the uranium and thorium decay chains in a variety of Earth materials. These ranged from 222Rn and its daughters in the atmosphere, to the uranium decay chain nuclides in the oceanic water column, and volcanic rocks and many other systems in which either chronometry or element partitioning, were explored. Much of what we learned about the 238U, 235U and 232Th decay chain nuclides as chronometers and process indicators we owe to these seminal studies based on the measurement of radioactivity. The discovery that mass spectrometry would soon usurp many of the tasks performed by radioactive counting was in itself serendipitous. It came about because a fundamental issue in cosmochemistry was at stake. Although variation in 235U/238U had been reported for meteorites the results were easily discredited as due to analytical difficulties. One set of results, however, was published by a credible laboratory long involved in quality measurements of high mass isotopes such as the lead isotopes. The purported discovery of 235U/238U variations in meteorites, if true, would have consequences in defining the early history of the formation of the elements and the development of inhomogeneity of uranium isotopes in the accumulation of the protoplanetary materials of the Solar System. Clearly the result was too important to escape the scrutiny of falsification implicit in the way we do science. The Lunatic Asylum at Caltech under the leadership of Jerry Wasserburg took on that task. Jerry Wasserburg and Jim Chen clearly established the constancy and Earth-likeness of 235U/238U in the samplable universe. In the hands of another member of the Lunatic Asylum, Larry Edwards, the methodology was transformed into a tool for the study of the 238U decay chain in marine systems. Thus the mass spectrometric techniques developed provided an approach to measuring the U and Th isotopes in geological materials as well as cosmic materials with the same refinement and accommodation for small sample size. Soon after this discovery the harnessing of the technique to the measurement of all the U isotopes and all the Th isotopes with great precision immediately opened up the entire field of uranium and thorium decay chain studies. This area of study was formerly the poaching ground for radioactive measurements alone but now became part of the wonderful world of mass spectrometric measurements. (The same transformation took place for radiocarbon from the various radioactive counting schemes to accelerator mass spectrometry.) No Earth material was protected from this assault. The refinement of dating corals, analyzing volcanic rocks for partitioning and chronometer studies and extensions far and wide into ground waters and ocean bottom dwelling organisms has been the consequence of this innovation. Although Ra isotopes, 210Pb and 210Po remain an active pursuit of those doing radioactive measurements, many of these nuclides have also become subject to the mass spectrometric approach. In this volume, for the first time, all the methods for determining the uranium and thorium decay chain nuclides in Earth materials are discussed. The range of problems solvable with this approach is remarkable-a fitting, tribute to the Curies and the early workers who discovered them for us to use.

Description / Table of Contents: In the two decades since J. Alexander Speer's Zircon chapter in Orthosilicates (Reviews in Mineralogy, Vol. 5), much has been learned about the internal textures, trace-element and isotope geochemistry (both radiogenic and stable) and chemical and mechanical stability of zircon. The application of this knowledge and the use of zircon in geologic studies have become widespread. Today, the study of zircon exists as the pseudo-discipline of "zirconology" that involves materials scientists and geoscientists from across a range of sub-disciplines including stable and radiogenic isotopes, sedimentology, petrology, trace elements and experimental mineralogy. Zirconology has become an important field of research, so much so that coverage of the mineral zircon in a review volume that included zircon as one of many accessory minerals would not meet the needs or interests of the zirconology community in terms of depth or breadth of coverage. The sixteen chapters in this volume cover the most important aspects of zircon-related research over the past twenty-years and highlight possible future research avenues. Finch and Hanchar (Chapter 1) review the structure of zircon and other mineral (and synthetic) phases with the zircon structure. In most rock types where zircon occurs it is a significant host of the rare-earth elements, Th and U. The abundances of these elements and the form of chondrite-normalized rare-earth element patterns may provide significant information on the processes that generate igneous and metamorphic rocks. The minor and trace element compositions of igneous, metamorphic and hydrothermal zircons are reviewed by Hoskin and Schaltegger in Chapter 2. The investigation of melt inclusions in zircon is an exciting line of new research. Trapped melt inclusions can provide direct information of the trace element and isotopic composition of the melt from which the crystal formed as a function of time throughout the growth of the crystal. Thomas et a!. (Chapter 3) review the study of melt inclusions in zircon. Hanchar and Watson (Chapter 4) review experimental and natural studies of zircon saturation and the use of zircon saturation thermometry for natural rocks. Cation diffusion and oxygen diffusion in zircon is discussed by Cherniak and Watson (Chapter 5). Diffusion studies are essential for providing constraints on the quality of trace element and isotope data and for providing estimates of temperature exposure in geological environments. Zircon remains the most widely utilized accessory mineral for U- Th-Pb isotope geochronology. Significant instrumental and analytical developments over the past thirty years mean that zircon has an essential role in early Achaean studies, magma genesis, and astrobiology. Four chapters are devoted to different aspects of zircon geochronology. The first of these four, Chapter 6 by Davis et a!., reviews the historical development of zircon geochronology from the mid-1950s to the present; the following three chapters focus on particular techniques for zircon geochronology, namely ID-TIMS (Parrish and Noble, Chapter 7), SIMS (Ireland and Williams, Chapter 8) and ICP-MS (Kosier and Sylvester, Chapter 9). The application of zircon chronology in constraining sediment provenance.and the calibration ofthe geologic time-scale are reviewed by Fedo et al. (Chapter 10) and Bowring and Schmitz (Chapter 11), respectively. Other isotopic systematics are reviewed for zircon by Kinny and Maas (Chapter 12), who discuss the application of Nd-Sm and Lu-Hf isotopes in zircon to petrogenetic studies, and by Valley (Chapter 13), who discusses the importance of oxygen isotopic studies in traditional and emerging fields of geologic study. As a host of U and Th, zircon is subject to radiation damage. Radiation damage is likely responsible for isotopic disturbance and promotes mechanical instability. There is increasing interest in both the effect of radiation damage on the zircon crystal structure and mechanisms of damage and recrystallization, as well as the structure of the damaged phase. These studies contribute to an overall understanding of how zircon may behave as a waste-form for safe disposal of radioactive waste and are discussed by Ewing et a!. (Chapter 14). The spectroscopy of zircon, both crystalline and metamict is reviewed by Nadsala et a!. (Chapter 15). The final chapter, by Corfu et al. (Chapter 16), is an atlas of internal textures of zircon. The imaging of internal textures in zircon is essential for directing the acquisition of geochemical data and to the integrity of conclusions reached once data has been collected and interpreted. This chapter, for the first time, brings into one place textural images that represent common and not so common textures reported in the literature, along with brief interpretations of their significance. There is presently no comparable atlas. It is intended that this chapter will become a reference point for future workers to compare and contrast their own images against. The chapters in this volume of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry were prepared for presentation at a Short Course, sponsored by the Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) in Freiburg, Germany, April 3-4, 2003. This preceded a joint meeting of the European Union of Geology, the American Geophysical Union and the European Geophysical Society held in Nice, France, April 6-11, 2003.

Description / Table of Contents: Since the dawn of life on earth, organisms have played roles in mineral formation in processes broadly known as biomineralization. This biologically-mediated organization of aqueous ions into amorphous and crystalline materials results in materials that are as simple as adventitious precipitates or as complex as exquisitely fabricated structures that meet specialized functionalities. The purpose of this volume of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry is to provide students and professionals in the earth sciences with a review that focuses upon the various processes by which organisms direct the formation of minerals. Our framework of examining biominerals from the viewpoints of major mineralization strategies distinguishes this volume from most previous reviews. The review begins by introducing the reader to over-arching principles that are needed to investigate biomineralization phenomena and shows the current state of knowledge regarding the major approaches to mineralization that organisms have developed over the course of Earth history. By exploring the complexities that underlie the "synthesis" of biogenic materials, and therefore the basis for how compositions and structures of biominerals are mediated (or not), we believe this volume will be instrumental in propelling studies of biomineralization to a new level of research questions that are grounded in an understanding of the underlying biological phenomena.

Description / Table of Contents: Since their introduction in the 1980's, wavelets have become a powerful tool in mathematical analysis, with applications such as image compression, statistical estimation and numerical simulation of partial differential equations. One of their main attractive features is the ability to accurately represent fairly general functions with a small number of adaptively chosen wavelet coefficients, as well as to characterize the smoothness of such functions from the numerical behaviour of these coefficients. The theoretical pillar that underlies such properties involves approximation theory and function spaces, and plays a pivotal role in the analysis of wavelet-based numerical methods. This book offers a self-contained treatment of wavelets, which includes this theoretical pillar and it applications to the numerical treatment of partial differential equations. Its key features are:〈P〉 1. Self-contained introduction to wavelet bases and related numerical algorithms, from the simplest examples to the most numerically useful general constructions.〈P〉 2. Full treatment of the theoretical foundations that are crucial for the analysis of wavelets and other related multiscale methods : function spaces, linear and nonlinear approximation, interpolation theory.〈P〉 3. Applications of these concepts to the numerical treatment of partial differential equations : multilevel preconditioning, sparse approximations of differential and integral operators, adaptive discretization strategies

Description / Table of Contents: Disaster impacts are increasing in severity. Annual direct losses for weather-related events have increased from $3.9 million in the 1950s to $63 million in the 1990s. Moreover, a number of ongoing trends have the potential to cause even more severe and broader disaster impacts than ever before. These include increased environmental degradation, the impacts of climate change, population growth in cities, and globalization. In developing countries, disasters can cause major setbacks to economic and social development, inflict massive casualties, and cause the diversion of funds from development to emergency relief and recovery. By applying innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction and by empowering people through effective disaster reduction strategies, communities and government will be more resilient when disaster strikes and better able to protect their lives, homes, livelihoods and assets.

Description / Table of Contents: This volume focuses on Late Mesoproterozoic to early Cambrian events related to Gondwana assembly and break up. The nineteen papers provide a comprehensive review including advanced knowledge and new data from all critical areas of East Gondwana. The recent knowledge of the evolution of East Gondwana, which was regarded as an integral part of the Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia, is the major theme of the volume, which is reinforced by highlighting this radical and new understanding of the evolution of this region. This volume is of use as both a text and reference book for Earth Science postgraduates, and should appeal worldwide to professional geologists with an interest in Rodinia, Gondwana and that important transition from the Proterozoic to the Phanerozoic Earth.

Description / Table of Contents: Pterosaurs were a peculiar group of Mesozoic vertebrates, which acquired the ability to fly in an original way, using a membrane attached to a single finger of the hand. Ever since the first description of a pterosaur skeleton in 1784, these remarkable animals have elicited much discussion and controversy among palaeontologists, and many basic questions about their origin, evolution and biology remain disputed. In the last few years, interest in pterosaurs has been revived by numerous discoveries of new and sometimes remarkably preserved specimens, which have enlarged and changed our picture of this group. The volume begins with descriptions of several new pterosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous of Europe, North and South America, and Africa. Following this, alternative hypotheses of pterosaur phytogeny and evolution are put forward. Several papers discuss the functional anatomy of pterosaurs and its implications for aerial locomotion. The study of pterosaur footprints provides important new evidence concerning their terrestrial locomotion, and this approach is used in several contributions. A developing aspect of pterosaur research is bone histology, as shown by the final papers in this collection.