History of the geological knowledge of the French-Swiss Jura | Jean-Pierre Tripet, Jean-Paul Schaer

Close to three hundred years of research are presented in this first major synthesis on the history of geological knowledge of the Jura Arc. The different parts of this work are respectively dedicated to surface geology, structural geology, and hydrogeology. Each constitutes a coherent and independent set that can be read separately. An introductory section provides an overview of the current geological state of the Franco-Swiss Jura. Under the title Surface Geology, the results of two centuries of Jura-specific research on landscape forms, erosion surfaces, and glaciations are presented. The section entitled Tectonics, Structure, and Generalities presents the analysis of the evolution of knowledge on the deformation and folding processes of the Jura massif and the role of structural elements. The observation methods presented range from the naturalistic approach of the precursors from the mid-18th century to the modern analysis of structures through seismic reflection. In the final part, Hydrogeology and Karst, the contribution of significant figures is presented, from the era of precursors (mid-17th century) to the pivotal years following the mid-20th century that mark the beginning of the so-called "modern" period. The history of knowledge in domains such as groundwater resources, large-scale projects, and flow in karst is analyzed up to the present time.