Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective, Volumes 1-4, presents a fascinating collection of research about prehistoric and historic coal and peat fires. Magnificent illustrations of fires and research findings from countries around the world are featured-a totally new contribution to science. This last of four volumes in the collection, Peat--Geology, Combustion, and Case Studies, examines in detail peat fires chronicled in several countries. In addition, the geology of peat, peat megafires, infrared analysis of fires, and the mathematical modelling of fire hazards are presented. This essential reference includes a companion website with an interactive world map of coal and peat fires, collections of slide presentations, research data, additional chapters, and videos: booksite.elsevier.com/9780444595102.

Seismic Exploration of Hydrocarbons in Heterogeneous Reservoirs: New Theories, Methods and Applications is based on the field research conducted over the past decade by an authoring team of five of the world's leading geoscientists. In recent years, the exploration targets of world's oil companies have become more complex. The direct detection of hydrocarbons based on seismic wave data in heterogeneous oil/gas reservoirs has become a hot spot in the research of applied and exploration geophysics. The relevant theories, approaches and applications, which the authors have worked on for years and have established mature technical processes for industrial application, are of significant meaning to the further study and practice of engineers, researchers and students in related area.

The aim of this book is to present an overview of the state of the art with regard to the function, application and design of TWSs in order to better protect surface water from contamination. Accordingly, it also presents applications of constructed wetlands with regard to climatic and cultural aspects. The use of artificial and natural treatment wetland systems (TWSs) for wastewater treatment is an approach that has been developed over the last thirty years. Europe is currently home to roughly 10,000 constructed wetland treatment systems (CWTSs), which simulate the aquatic habitat conditions of natural marsh ecosystems; roughly 3,500 systems are in operation in Germany alone. TWSs can also be found in many other European countries, for example 200 - 400 in Denmark, 400 - 600 in Great Britain, and ca. 1,000 in Poland. Most of the existing systems serve as local or individual household treatment systems. CWTSs are easy to operate and do not require specialized maintenance; further, no biological sewage sludge is formed during treatment processes. As TWSs are resistant to fluctuations in hydraulic loads, they are primarily used in rural areas as well as in urbanized areas with dispersed habitats, where conventional sewer systems and central conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) cannot be applied due to the high costs they would entail. TWSs are usually applied at the 2nd stage of domestic wastewater treatment, after mechanical treatment, and/or at the 3rd stage of treatment in order to ensure purification of effluent from conventional biological reactors and re-naturalization. New applications of TWSs include rainwater treatment as well as industrial and landfill leachate treatment. TWSs are well suited to these fields, as they can potentially remove not only organic matter and nitrogen compounds but also trace metals and traces of persistent organic pollutants and pathogens. Based on the practical experience gathered to date, and on new research regarding the processes and mechanisms of pollutant removal and advances in the systems properties and design, TWSs continue to evolve.

Geophysical Inverse Theory and Applications, Second Edition, brings together fundamental results developed by the Russian mathematical school in regularization theory and combines them with the related research in geophysical inversion carried out in the West. It presents a detailed exposition of the methods of regularized solution of inverse problems based on the ideas of Tikhonov regularization, and shows the different forms of their applications in both linear and nonlinear methods of geophysical inversion. It's the first book of its kind to treat many kinds of inversion and imaging techniques in a unified mathematical manner. The book is divided in five parts covering the foundations of the inversion theory and its applications to the solution of different geophysical inverse problems, including potential field, electromagnetic, and seismic methods. Unique in its focus on providing a link between the methods used in gravity, electromagnetic, and seismic imaging and inversion, it represents an exhaustive treatise on inversion theory. Written by one of the world's foremost experts, this work is widely recognized as the ultimate researcher's reference on geophysical inverse theory and its practical scientific applications.

This volume consists of 15 chapters and focuses on hazardous chemicals, how they are associated with plastics, and their environmental risks. It includes background information on plastics and additives chemistry, and their observed or potential effects on living organisms as well as the oceanographic aspects of marine debris dispersion. The respective chapters provide insights into the sorption/desorption of chemicals in and out of plastics, the mechanisms and kinetics, but also the scale of the concentrations of chemicals found in marine debris, particularly in microplastics. The occurrence of the various chemicals is analyzed, as well as the distribution profiles of the chemicals in microplastics throughout the world's oceans. The implications of the fact that plastics carry within them several chemicals are discussed in detail. In closing, new research topics that warrant further attention are identified. The book will appeal to all scientists who are already working or interested in starting to work on the topic of marine debris, as well as policymakers, NGOs and the broader informed public.

In its first English-language edition, this book introduces the many-faceted interactions of animal populations with their habitats. From soil fauna, ants and termites to small and large herbivores, burrowing mammals and birds, the author presents a comprehensive analysis of animals and ecosystems that is as broad and varied as all nature. Chapter 2 addresses the functional role of animals in landscape ecosystems, emphasizing fluxes of energy and matter within and between ecosystems, and the effects of animals on qualitative and structural habitat change. Discussion includes chapters on the role of animal population density and the impacts of native herbivores on vegetation and habitats from the tropics to the polar regions. Cyclic mass outbreaks of species such as the larch bud moth in Switzerland, the mountain pine beetle and the African red-billed weaver bird are described and analyzed. Other chapters discuss Zoochory - the dispersal of seeds by ants, mammals and birds - and the influence of burrowing animals on soil development and geomorphology. Consideration extends to the impact of feral domestic animals. Chapter 5 focuses on problems resulting from introduction of alien animals and from re-introduction of animal species to their original habitats, discusses the effects on ecosystems of burrowing, digging and trampling by animals. The author also addresses keystone species such as kangaroo rats, termites and beavers. Chapter 6 addresses the role of animals in landscape management and nature conservation, with chapters on the impact of newcomer species such as animals introduced into Australia, New Zealand and Europe, and the consequences of reintroduction of species to original habitat. It also discusses the carrying capacity of natural habit, public attitudes toward conversation and more. The final section ponders the effects of climate on interactions between animals and their habitats.

This is a work of historical significance, an experimental study reproducing parts of the late Dr. Wilhelm Reich's controversial atmospheric research, specifically the technique of Cosmic Orgone Engineering ("cloudbusting"). This study took place in the late 1970s at the University of Kansas, Geography-Meteorology Department, as part of the author's graduate-level research, showing changes in cloud cover and rainfall across the state of Kansas as the apparatus was operated. Reich's original findings had been dismissed as "impossible" by the scientific community of his day, stirring up such outrage that his writings were literally "banned and burned" by Federal bureaucrats, who also threw Reich into prison on fabricated charges, where he died in 1957. This particular study was the first university-level investigation into the most extreme of Reich's claims - of an atmospheric energy which could be affected by his cloudbuster invention to bring rains over widespread areas, even during droughts or in deserts. The study verified Reich's claims. This republication of that original study also includes a major separate work as an Appendix, "Evidence for the Existence of a Principle of Atmospheric Continuity," which makes the argument for a renewed examination of the old cosmic-ether of space, as a parallel concept to Reich's orgone energy discovery. It also reviews similar inexplicable long-distance energetic phenomenon in the natural world which require a similar mechanism, such as solar-terrestrial phenomenon.

This book reviews the consequences of improper disposal of greywater into the environment and the most appropriate treatment technologies for developing countries, focusing on the potential to reuse greywater as a production medium for biomass and bio-products. It also describes the quantities and qualitative characteristics, as well as the common practice of discharging greywater in developing countries, and highlights the associated health risks. Further, it compares the management of greywater in developed and developing countries and explores the advantages and disadvantages of various treatment technologies, discussing the reuse of greywater for irrigation purposes in arid and sub-arid countries, especially in the Middle East. The book shows the benefits of greywater and introduces low-cost technologies based on the available local facilities can be used to discharge, reuse, and recycle it.

This book offers up-to-date information on the impact of climate change on water resources in Slovakia, the occurrence of drought and floods, hazards and protection methods. The topics covered include hydrological extremes, such as droughts and flood, in Slovakia; risk assessment and protection; sustainable management; and water management in buildings. The closing chapter provides general conclusions and recommendations for future research. It appeals to graduate students and researchers as well as to decision makers involved in planning future water resources in Slovakia.

Studies of prehistoric exchange of goods provide information about the types of economic interaction, social organization, or political structures in which prehistoric peoples were engaged. Long-distance exchange is a special situation where the materials exchanged crossed significant boundaries, whether they were geographic, social, political, or otherwise. By examining the types and quantities of goods exchanged, along with the directions and distances they moved, archaeologists are able to examine the dynamic properties of exchange systems, i.e., how they operate and why they undergo change.

The purpose of this volume is to present a number of case studies of long-distance exchange from around the world which demonstrate the use of geochemical analysis of artifacts to find evidence of exchange. More important than the use of analytical technique employed or the types of artifacts studied are the interpretations themselves which illustrate that exchange studies are maturing and helping archaeologists to develop more accurate models of exchange.

This book details how the GALO system of basin modelling may be used in the analysis of actual, non-standard problems of geology. It begins by addressing the tectonic subsidence of sedimentary basins, and goes on to consider the problems of maturation of organic matter and hydrocarbon generation in the vicinity of intrusions and subtrappean sedimentary complexes. Lastly, the book discusses the formation of temperature and heat flow distributions with depth due to the sharp climate variations in the Quaternary, which was marked by repeated formation and degradation of permafrost. The book studies the application of the GALO basin modelling system to the three problems mentioned above. Employing the GALO system provides a unique opportunity to assess the amplitude and duration of the stretching and thermal activation of the basin lithosphere, and to study in detail the formation of a maturity aureole of organic matter in the basin's subtrappean sedimentary cover. This book offers a valuable resource for all graduate students and professionals interested in numerical modelling of the thermal evolution of sedimentary basins. It will also be of great interest to petroleum geologists engaged in oil and gas exploration in the trap provinces of the world. Lastly, it will benefit those students and geologists dealing with the thermal field of sedimentary blankets in actual and degraded permafrost areas.

Volume 1 of the Sustainable Management of Sediment Resources mini-series is the first attempt to fill many of these gaps in knowledge and also in practice. The volume includes sections on:
* Sampling
* Characterization of contaminants in sediments being bioavailability the main issue
* Chemical analysis
* Biological analysis
* Effect directed analysis and toxicity
* Identification evaluation
* Benthos sediment quality assessment
* Modelling of pollutant fate and behaviour
* Sediment quality guidelines
This first volume is applicable to a wide audience, from students at the graduate level, to experienced researchers and laboratory personnel in academia, industry and government.
This volume also available as part of a 4-volume set, ISBN 0444519599. Discount price for set purchase.
* A broad overview on sediment quality and impact assessment of pollutants
* Suitable for both newcomers to the field of sediment treatment and specialists alike
* Outlines practical examples of methods used in sediment quality analysis

Sediments are a natural part of aquatic systems and they are essential for the hydrological, geomorphological and ecological functioning of those systems. For society they are important and represent an important resource. However, due to the ever increasing use of river catchments, sediments need to be managed in a balanced and sustainable way. Sediment Management at the River Basin Scale reviews some of the key requirements and challenges facing scientists, river basin managers, and policy makers for sustainable sediment management at the river basin scale, and puts forward important recommendations.
This volume also available as part of a 4-volume set, ISBN 0444519599. Discount price for set purchase.
* First book to consider management at the basin scale
* State-of-the-art review chapters
* New conceptual frameworks and approaches to management

This two-volume book is an up-to-date revision of methods and principles of phylogenetic analysis of morphological data. It is also a general guide for using the computer program TNT in the analysis of such data. The book covers the main aspects of phylogenetic analysis, and general methods to compare classifications derived from molecules and morphology. Practical application of all principles discussed is illustrated by reference to TNT, a freely available software package that can perform all the steps needed in a phylogenetic analysis. Key Features Provides in depth discussion of the connections between hypotheses of homology and the parsimony criterion Helps understand the basis for designing different aspects of a morphological study, from hints on delimiting the problem and data collecting, to character definitions and analysis Discusses the applicability of statistical models coopted from sequence analysis to the analysis of morphological data Gives detailed descriptions of the principles behind algorithms for evaluating and searching phylogenetic trees Presents extensive information on commands and options of the TNT computer program

More than 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity, but other causes include lighting, drought, wind and changing weather conditions, underground coal fires, and even volcanic activity. Wildfire Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, one of nine volumes in the Elsevier Hazards and Disasters series, provides a close and detailed examination of wildfires and measures for more thorough and accurate monitoring, prediction, preparedness, and prevention. It takes a geo-scientific and environmental approach to the topic while also discussing the impacts of human-induced causes such as deforestation, debris burning and arson-underscoring the multi-disciplinary nature of the topic. It presents several international case studies that discuss the historical, social, cultural and ecological aspects of wildfire risk management in countries with a long history of dealing with this hazard (e.g., USA, Australia) and in countries (e.g., Taiwan) where wildfire hazards represent a new and growing threat to the social and ecological landscape.

Before the drought of the early twenty-first century, the dry benchmark in the American plains was the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. But in this eye-opening work, Kevin Z. Sweeney reveals that the Dust Bowl was only one cycle in a series of droughts on the U.S. southern plains. Reinterpreting our nation's nineteenth-century history through paleoclimatological data and firsthand accounts of four dry periods in the 1800s, Prelude to the Dust Bowl demonstrates the dramatic and little-known role drought played in settlement, migration, and war on the plains. Stephen H. Long's famed military expedition coincided with the drought of the 1820s, which prompted Long to label the southern plains a ""Great American Desert"" - a destination many Anglo-Americans thought ideal for removing Southeastern Indian tribes to in the 1830s. The second dry trend, from 1854 to 1865, drove bison herds northeastward, fomenting tribal warfare, and deprived Civil War armies in Indian Territory of vital commissary. In the late 1880s and mid-1890s, two more periods of drought triggered massive outmigration from the southern plains as well as appeals from farmers and congressmen for federal famine relief, pleas quickly denied by President Grover Cleveland. Sweeney's interpretation of familiar events through the lens of drought lays the groundwork for understanding why the U.S. government's reaction to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was such a radical departure from previous federal responses. Prelude to the Dust Bowl provides new insights into pivotal moments in the settlement of the southern plains and stands as a timely reminder that drought, as part of a natural climatic cycle, will continue to figure in the unfolding history of this region.

This book describes selected problems in contemporary spectroscopy in the context of quantum mechanics and statistical physics. It focuses on elementary radiative processes involving atomic particles (atoms, molecules, ions), which include radiative transitions between discrete atomic states, the photoionization of atoms, photorecombination of electrons and ions, bremsstrahlung, photodissociation of molecules, and photoattachment of electrons to atoms. In addition to these processes, the transport of resonant radiation in atomic gases and propagation of infrared radiation in molecular gases are also considered. The book subsequently addresses applied problems such as optical pumping, cooling of gases via laser resonance radiation, light-induced drift of gas atoms, photoresonant plasma, reflection of radio waves from the ionosphere, and detection of submillimeter radiation using Rydberg atoms. Lastly, topical examples in atmospheric and climate change science are presented, such as lightning channel glowing, emission of the solar photosphere, and the greenhouse phenomenon in the atmospheres of the Earth and Venus. Along with researchers, both graduate and undergraduate students in atomic, molecular and atmospheric physics will find this book a useful and timely guide.

The present book provides guidance to understanding complicated coupled processes based on the experimental data available and implementation of developed algorithms in numerical codes. Results of selected test cases in the fields of closed-form solutions (e.g., deformation processes), single processes (such as groundwater flow) as well as coupled processes are presented. It is part of the OpenGeoSys initiative - an open source project to share knowledge and experience in environmental analysis and scientific computation with the community.