Describes extensively the design and microfabrication of nanosensors based on nanotechnological tools. Provides a wide range of bioplatforms based on e.g., carbon nanostructures and Describes extensively a large number of application as a part of Nanomaterial based biosensors.

* Most up-to-date overview of planetary science, generously illustrated * Accessible prose with a unique perspective by professional astronomers active in planetary science research with extensive teaching experience and expertise in history of astronomy and classical astronomy * Detailed appendices that supplement the text including past, current, and future space missions

Provides an understanding for the fundamental economic approaches to groundwater policy and project evaluation Incorporates cost-benefit analysis and life-cycle approaches in a triple-bottom line framework Includes new case studies on economics of groundwater data for decisionmaking Addresses local and regional groundwater economic choices through a series of practical applications Explains the economic value of groundwater recharge for sustainable use and needs

Originally published in 1988 Deforestation examines deforestation as a major environmental and development problem. It examines the issues of forests being cut in tropical and mountain areas, and how acid rain, pollution and disease wreak havoc in temperate zones. Some of the worst effects of deforestation have been changes in the world's climate system, erosion and flooding, desertification, wood short-ages and the disappearance of some floral and fauna species. This book challenges the belief that deforestation is due to entirely rapid population growth and agricultural expansion and emphasises the effects of commercial exploitation and poor planning and management. In concludes with a programme for reforestation using agro-forestry, appropriate cottage industries, improved international programmes, local land reforms and community participation.

Originally published in 1975 Terrestrial Environments covers the zoogeography and ecology of the main terrestrial environments of the world, including fresh water habitats with emphasis on their fauna. The book also explores climate and vegetation in so far as they affect animal life. Finally, the selective influence of the environment on its fauna is discussed and, conversely, the influence of regulation, a synthesis of these interrelations. Morphological adaptations of the animals inhabiting various types of terrestrial environments are considered in relation to locomotion, feeding, and escape from enemies. Physiological adaptations are also mentioned briefly, and the adaptative importunate of diurnal and seasonal rhythms is stressed.

Originally published in 1981 Historical Plant Geography is an introductory treatment of historical plant geography and stresses the basic theoretical frame of the subject. The book is about neither the study of vegetation nor the concept of the ecosystem, instead focusing on the much older tradition concerned with analysing the geographical distribution of individual species and natural plant groups. Important areas are discussed, such as global plate tectonics and sea-floor spreading, plant maps are introduced and there is a basic treatment of recent advances in plant taxonomy. The book will appeal to students and academics of geography, botany, ecology and environmental sciences.

Originally published in 1990, The Biogeography of the British Isles is devoted to the biogeography of the British Isles and surrounding shelf seas. Bringing together a wealth of diverse information, it is thoroughly referenced and well illustrated, and will be invaluable to students of geography, environmental science, ecology, botany, and zoology. The book traces the development of British biogeography over the last two centuries, examining key topics such as ecosystems, habitats, and niches in the context of plant and animal distribution. The book gives a detailed account of the development of biogeographical mapping and recording systems, and describes modern-day distributions, both in the countryside and in urban areas against the backcloth of human activities.

This book contains the proceedings of the 16th ICEC/ICMC Conference, held in Kitakyushu, Japan, on 20th-24th May 1996. The Proceedings are presented in three volumes containing a total of 476 papers from 1484 authors.

The proceedings covers the main areas of: Large Scale Refrigeration. Cryocoolers. Cryogenic Engineering. Space Cryogenics. Application of Superconductivity. Oxide Superconductors. Metallic Superconductors. Metallic Materials. Non Metallic Materials.

In addition there are seven Plenary Lectures covering such diverse topics as commercialization of high-Tc superconductors, the continuing development of the Maglev system in Japan, and the Large Hadron Collider project.

The Proceedings comprise an excellent and up-to-date summary of research and development in the fields of Cryogenics and Superconductivity.

This unique book provides an accessible introduction to both the scientific background and the key people involved in the discovery and use of radiation and radioactivity. It begins by providing a short history of radiation exposures and radiation poisoning; from the early inappropriate use of X-rays and radium cures through the misadventures of the Manhattan Project and the Chernobyl disaster, to the high-profile and deliberate poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London with polonium-210, which gave rise to worldwide media attention. The chapters provide a catalogue of deliberate criminal acts, unfortunate accidents, and inadvertent radiation exposures, exploring well-known events in detail, as well as some not so well-known occurrences. It works through the topics by focusing on human stories and events and their biological impact. In addition, it covers descriptions of the beneficial uses of radiation and radioactivity. This book can be enjoyed by any reader with a general interest in science, as well as by students and professionals within the scientific and medical communities. Key features Authored by a subject area specialist who has worked in both clinical practice and academia and was involved with the national media following incidents of national and international importance Provides a unique human perspective into well-known and some lesser known events and a concise history of the discovery of radiation and the events that followed Adds scientific and medical background to a subject of high media interest

- Authored by an authority in the area, whose research group first invented ultra-fast silicon detectors - The first book on the topic to explain 4-dimensional tracking - Interdisciplinary topic, with applications in other area such as medicine

Features Provides a comprehensive review of all aspects of skin cancer management. Edited by experts in the area, with interdisciplinary and international collaborators. Promotes a 'Bigger picture' approach to the topic with multidisciplinary insight.

Rare Isotope Beams (RIBs) are ion beams of exotic radioactive nuclei. The study of these nuclei is key to understanding the limits of nuclear existence, nucleo-synthesis in such violent stellar sites as supernovae and merging neutron stars, and the fundamental symmetries of nature. These nuclei also provide a unique probe to study condensed matter and many of them are potentially new radioisotopes for more effective medical diagnostics and therapy. Rare Isotope Beams: Concepts and Techniques gives an up-to-date overview of all these aspects of RIB science in a single volume containing the scientific motivation, production techniques, experimental techniques for studying exotic nuclei, methods used in condensed matter research, and medical applications. The emphasis throughout is on concepts to facilitate understanding of the essence of each topic in this diverse and cross-disciplinary field involving nuclear physics, astrophysics, and particle accelerators. A brief description of major RIB facilities is also presented. Exotic nuclei are difficult to produce in enough numbers and their production involves different nuclear reaction routes and a wide range of advanced technologies, which are presented in a comprehensive manner. Experimental techniques used to study exotic nuclei are provided with examples highlighting the intricate nature of such experiments. Another unique feature is the open-ended nature of the discussions, bringing out the future challenges and possibilities in this evolving field. The book offers an excellent overview of concepts and techniques involved in RIB science for new researchers entering the field as well as professionals.

This unique book provides an accessible introduction to both the scientific background and the key people involved in the discovery and use of radiation and radioactivity. It begins by providing a short history of radiation exposures and radiation poisoning; from the early inappropriate use of X-rays and radium cures through the misadventures of the Manhattan Project and the Chernobyl disaster, to the high-profile and deliberate poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London with polonium-210, which gave rise to worldwide media attention. The chapters provide a catalogue of deliberate criminal acts, unfortunate accidents, and inadvertent radiation exposures, exploring well-known events in detail, as well as some not so well-known occurrences. It works through the topics by focusing on human stories and events and their biological impact. In addition, it covers descriptions of the beneficial uses of radiation and radioactivity. This book can be enjoyed by any reader with a general interest in science, as well as by students and professionals within the scientific and medical communities. Key features Authored by a subject area specialist who has worked in both clinical practice and academia and was involved with the national media following incidents of national and international importance Provides a unique human perspective into well-known and some lesser known events and a concise history of the discovery of radiation and the events that followed Adds scientific and medical background to a subject of high media interest

Biomass burning is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols in South and Southeast Asia and greatly impacts other countries through transboundary air pollution. With contributions from leading scientists, this volume offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the impacts of biomass burning on the land resources, climate, and the atmosphere. It showcases several examples linking top-down remote sensing, bottom-up ground-based measurements, and an integrated modeling to address the impacts of biomass burning and land-atmosphere interactions. It is a valuable guide for readers in atmospheric science, ecology, spatial geography, remote sensing, and GIS. This book is unique as it highlights the sources and the causes of biomass burning and atmospheric research in South and Southeast Asia. It explains the latest tools and techniques, in particular the use of satellite remote sensing and geospatial technologies for fire mapping, monitoring, and land cover/land use change. It focuses on large spatial scales integrating top-down and bottom-up methodologies. It addresses the pressing issues of air pollution rampant in South and Southeast Asia. It includes contributions from global experts working on biomass burning projects in the USA, Japan, South/Southeast Asia, and Europe. The contents of this book will appeal to students and professionals using remote sensing and geospatial techniques, including geographers, ecologists, atmospheric and environmental scientists, and all who are interested in biomass burning pollution.

Computational biology has developed rapidly during the last two decades following the genomic revolution which culminated in the sequencing of the human genome. More than ever it has developed into a field which embraces computational methods from different branches of the exact sciences: pure and applied mathematics, computer science, theoretical physics. This Second Edition provides a solid introduction to the techniques of statistical mechanics for graduate students and researchers in computational biology and biophysics. Material has been reorganized to clarify equilbrium and nonequilibrium aspects of biomolecular systems Content has been expanded, in particular in the treatment of the electrostatic interactions of biomolecules and the application of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics to biomolecules New network-based approaches for the study of proteins are presented. All treated topics are put firmly in the context of the current research literature, allowing the reader to easily follow an individual path into a specific research field. Exercises and Tasks accompany the presentations of the topics with the intention of enabling the readers to test their comprehension of the developed basic concepts.

The innovation in space technologies has generated a new method for observing and monitoring tsunamis from space. Most tsunami remote sensing studies focus on using classical image processing tools or conventional edge detection procedures. However, these methods do not use modern physics, applied mathematics, signal communication, remote sensing data and innovative space technologies. This book equips readers to understand how to monitor tsunamis from space with remote sensing technology art to create a better alarm warning system.

This book represents a significant contribution to the area of earthquake data processing and to the development of region-specific magnitude correlations to create an up-to-date homogeneous earthquake catalogue that is uniform in magnitude scale. The book discusses seismicity analysis and estimation of seismicity parameters of a region at both finer and broader levels using different methodologies. The delineation and characterization of regional seismic source zones which requires reasonable observation and engineering judgement is another subject covered. Considering the complex seismotectonic composition of a region, use of numerous methodologies (DSHA and PSHA) in analyzing the seismic hazard using appropriate instruments such as the logic tree will be elaborated to explicitly account for epistemic uncertainties considering alternative models (for Source model, Mmax estimation and Ground motion prediction equations) to estimate the PGA value at bedrock level. Further, VS30 characterization based on the topographic gradient, to facilitate the development of surface level PGA maps using appropriate amplification factors, is discussed. Evaluation of probabilistic liquefaction potential is also explained in the book. Necessary backgrounds and contexts of the aforementioned topics are elaborated through a case study specific to India which features spatiotemporally varied and complex tectonics. The methodology and outcomes presented in this book will be beneficial to practising engineers and researchers working in the fields of seismology and geotechnical engineering in particular and to society in general.

The text develops the principal aspects of applied Fourier analysis and methodology with the main goal to inculcate a different way of perceiving global and regional geodetic and geophysical data, namely from the perspective of the frequency, or spectral, domain rather than the spatial domain. The word "methods" in the title is meant to convey that the transformation of a geophysical signal into the spectral domain can be applied for purposes of analysis as well as rapid computation. The text is written for graduate students; however, Chapters 1 through 4 and parts of 5 can also benefit undergraduates who have a solid and fluent knowledge of integral and differential calculus, have some statistical background, and are not uncomfortable with complex numbers. Concepts are developed by starting from the one-dimensional domain and working up to the spherical domain, which is part of every chapter. Many concepts are illustrated graphically with actual geophysical data primarily from signals of gravity, magnetism, and topography.

This book encompasses the full breadth of the super-resolution imaging field, representing modern techniques that exceed the traditional diffraction limit, thereby opening up new applications in biomedicine. It shows readers how to use the new tools to increase resolution in sub-nanometer-scale images of living cells and tissue, which leads to new information about molecules, pathways and dynamics. The book highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques, and gives state-of-the-art examples of applications using microscopes currently available on the market. It covers key techniques such as stimulated emission depletion (STED), structured illumination microscopy (SSIM), photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM). It will be a useful reference for biomedical researchers who want to work with super-resolution imaging, learn the proper technique for their application, and simultaneously obtain a solid footing in other techniques.

Scintillation Dosimetry delivers a comprehensive introduction to plastic scintillation dosimetry, covering everything from basic radiation dosimetry concepts to plastic scintillating fiber optics. Comprised of chapters authored by leading experts in the medical physics community, the book: Discusses a broad range of technical implementations, from point source dosimetry scaling to 3D-volumetric and 4D-scintillation dosimetry Addresses a wide scope of clinical applications, from machine quality assurance to small-field and in vivo dosimetry Examines related optical techniques, such as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or Cerenkov luminescence Thus, Scintillation Dosimetry provides an authoritative reference for detailed, state-of-the-art information on plastic scintillation dosimetry and its use in the field of radiation dosimetry.

Statistical Computing in Nuclear Imaging introduces aspects of Bayesian computing in nuclear imaging. The book provides an introduction to Bayesian statistics and concepts and is highly focused on the computational aspects of Bayesian data analysis of photon-limited data acquired in tomographic measurements. Basic statistical concepts, elements of decision theory, and counting statistics, including models of photon-limited data and Poisson approximations, are discussed in the first chapters. Monte Carlo methods and Markov chains in posterior analysis are discussed next along with an introduction to nuclear imaging and applications such as PET and SPECT. The final chapter includes illustrative examples of statistical computing, based on Poisson-multinomial statistics. Examples include calculation of Bayes factors and risks as well as Bayesian decision making and hypothesis testing. Appendices cover probability distributions, elements of set theory, multinomial distribution of single-voxel imaging, and derivations of sampling distribution ratios. C++ code used in the final chapter is also provided. The text can be used as a textbook that provides an introduction to Bayesian statistics and advanced computing in medical imaging for physicists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. It is also a valuable resource for a wide spectrum of practitioners of nuclear imaging data analysis, including seasoned scientists and researchers who have not been exposed to Bayesian paradigms.

First published in 1922, this book represents the first attempt to popularise the more accessible aspects of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. Eschewing the mathematical components that put the theory beyond many people's grasp, the author employs metaphorical examples and thought experiments to convey the fundamental ideas and assertions of one of physics' most famous principles - which remains the accepted description of gravitation more than a century after its first publication. This book will of interest to students of physics as an introductory basis to aid further study.

This book summarizes the fundamental and established methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles, providing readers with an organized and comprehensive insight into the field of nanoparticle technology. In addition to exploring the characterization and applications of nanoparticles, it also focuses on the recently explored corona discharge micromachining - Electrical Discharge Micromachining (EDMM) - method to synthesize inorganic nanoparticles. In the synthesis of nanoparticles, organic materials often play an indispensable role, such as providing stabilizers in the form of capping agents. This book will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying physics and engineering, as well as professionals and academics looking for an introduction to the nature and foundations of nanoparticle synthesis. Features: Provides diagnostic tools for the characterization of nanoparticles Explores the cutting-edge EDMM method for the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles Discusses possible methods to overcome agglomeration of nanoparticles and achieve stable dispersion, in addition to examining the application suitability of synthesized nanoparticles

This book provides an introduction, from the astronomical point of view of the author, to the exciting search for extra-terrestrial life, and an overview of the current status of research into 'alien' life in the Solar System and beyond. It also explores the potential future human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and accompanied by key references for further study, it is a fantastic introduction to the field of astrobiology for non-science majors taking an elective module, in addition to undergraduates studying physics with an interest in this area. Features: Contains the latest groundbreaking research in the hunt for life outside of Earth Discusses the identification of biosignatures in exo-planets Reviews future options for human outposts on the Moon and Mars

This book provides a survey of the latest research and developments in plasma technology. In an easy and comprehensive manner, it explores what plasma is and the technologies utilized to produce plasma. It then investigates the main applications and their benefits. Different from other books on the topic that focus on specific aspects of plasma technology, the intention is to provide an introduction to all aspects related to plasma technologies. This book will be an ideal resource for graduate students studying plasma technologies, in addition to researchers in physics, engineering, and materials science. Features Accessible and easy to understand Provides simple yet exhaustive explanations of the foundations Explores the latest technologies and is filled with practical applications and case studies