Geology and Landscapes of the Eastern Pyrenees

Book excerpt: This book provides a synthesis of the physiography and geodynamics of the entire Pyrenean orogen and its foreland basins, providing the "big picture" (structure of the orogen and chronology of its formation, overview of its post-orogenic evolution, and Quaternary and recent landscape history). One part of the book proposes a 6–7 day itinerary across the eastern and east-central Pyrenees, two areas that currently provide the richest, best-documented, and most carefully curated database on the post-orogenic evolution of the mountain belt. The book deals with three complementary topics: (i) geodynamics, i.e. the long-term post-orogenic evolution of the Pyrenees since the declining stages of tectonic collision ca. 30 million years ago, and within the wider reference frame of Iberia, the Western Mediterranean, and the Atlantic margin; (ii) geomorphological processes and landforms that have conspired to shape the eastern part of the French and Spanish Pyrenees in response to base-level and climate-related changes over than same time period; (iii) geoheritage, i.e. educational vignettes of the flagship landscape units and typical geological sections of the study area. Written as a field guide, it is designed to help readers to construct discovery-based itineraries through the region (with options and variants depending on time and physical ability), allowing them to appreciate the key landscape and geoheritage features over the course of 1 week, with potential for much more. This GeoGuide is primarily aimed at confirmed geoscientists from most disciplines in Earth science, at postgraduate students engaged in field studies, and at curiosity-driven, educated amateurs keen to enhance their understanding of spectacular or enigmatic features encountered on their travels.