Introduction to Petrology

The study of rocks along with the processes through which they are formed is conducted under the branch of geology known as petrology. There are three major subdivisions within petrology, namely, sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous petrology. Sedimentary petrology deals with the texture and composition of sedimentary rocks. Igneous petrology is the study of the composition and texture of igneous rocks such as volcanic and plutonic rocks. Metamorphic petrology deals with the rocks which were initially sedimentary or igneous but due to extreme pressure or temperature, have undergone chemical or mineralogical changes. Some of the fields used within petrology are mineralogy, petrography and chemical analysis. This book provides comprehensive insights into the field of petrology. It consists of contributions made by international experts. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge.