Magmatism is the only true endogenic process for generating new material on the Earth's surface. Obviously, magmatism and tectonic movements are reflections of geodynamics, that is, physical processes which occur in deep-seated environments.
What are the interrelationships between magmatism and tectonics? How did the character of terrestrial magmatism change through time and are there any irregularities in this process? Were there particular "crisis" (catastrophe) points, when current tendencies in the evolution of magmatism changed sharply?
Answers to these cardinal Earth sciences questions and many others can be found in this book, which bridges a long-recognized gap in the literature.