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# Contents

- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Landscape formation
- 2 Geological time-scales – a brief review
- 3 A global view of Earth history
- 4 Plate tectonics reviewed
  - 4.1 Introduction
  - 4.2 Revealing past plate tectonic events
  - 4.3 Continental extension
    - 4.3.1 Stage 1: Continental rifting (northern Red Sea stage)
    - 4.3.2 Stage 2: Embryonic ocean basin formation (southern Red Sea stage)
    - 4.3.3 Stage 3: Passive continental margin formation
  - 4.4 Closure of an ocean
  - 4.5 How wide were the oceans?
  - 4.6 Continental collision
- 5 The main lithotectonic units of the British Isles
  - 5.1 Introduction
  - 5.2 Precambrian and Lower Palaeozoic Basement
  - 5.3 Caledonian Orogenic Belt
  - 5.4 Older Cover
  - 5.5 Variscan Orogenic Belt
  - 5.6 Younger Cover
- 6 Conclusion
- 7 Course questions
- Acknowledgements

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