This book addresses the quantitative measurement of climate change vulnerability at the macro and micro-level and identifies household adaptation strategies to cope with the adverse effects of climate change. Focusing on five different agro-climatic regions of West Bengal: the hill region, foothill region, drought region, and coastal regions of Sunderban and Purba Midnapore, it presents research related to various sectors, including the agricultural, forestry and informal sectors. The book also offers insights into the impact of climate change on smallholdings, forest-dependent communities, fishing and crab collecting communities, casual labourers and workers in the informal sectors, and identifies the key vulnerabilities associated with climate change, as well as the causes of such vulnerability the extent to which remedial measures have been taken. The book particularly highlights the role of Indian governmental policies like Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the housing scheme, Indira Awas Yojana, the Food for Work Programme, and the rural road building scheme, Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, which are important for rural development and in reducing vulnerability. Showcasing vulnerability measurement in the socio-ecological system, the book will appeal to developmental practitioners, government implementation agencies, policymakers and researchers in the field of environmental science and policymakers will find this book appealing.

This book presents developments of novel techniques and applies them in order to understand the interactions between thermally driven mesoscale flows (sea and mountain breezes) and the turbulent exchange within the atmospheric boundary layer. These interactions are not accurately reproduced in the meteorological models currently employed for weather forecasting. Consequently, important variables such as air temperature and wind speed are misrepresented. Also, the concentrations of relevant greenhouse gases such as CO2 are considerably affected by these interactions. By applying a systematic algorithm based on objective criteria (presented here), the thesis explores complete observational databases spanning up to 10 years. Further, it presents statistically significant and robust results on the topic, which has only been studied in a handful of cases in the extant literature. Lastly, by applying the algorithm directly to the outputs of the meteorological model, the thesis helps readers understand the processes discussed and reveals the biases in such models.

This book provides a broad overview of essential features of subsurface environmental modelling at the science-policy interface, offering insights into the potential challenges in the field of subsurface flow and transport, as well as the corresponding computational modelling and its impact on the area of policy- and decision-making. The book is divided into two parts: Part I presents models, methods and software at the science-policy interface. Building on this, Part II illustrates the specifications using detailed case studies of subsurface environmental modelling. It also includes a systematic research overview and discusses the anthropogenic use of the subsurface, with a particular focus on energy-related technologies, such as carbon sequestration, geothermal technologies, fluid and energy storage, nuclear waste disposal, and unconventional oil and gas recovery.

Comprehensive coverage of the whole Earth system throughout its entire existence and beyond Complete with a new introduction by the authors, this updated edition helps provide an understanding of the past, present, and future processes that occur on and in our Earth--the fascinating, yet potentially lethal, set of atmospheric, surface, and internal processes that interact to produce our living environment. It introduces students to our planet's four key interdependent systems: the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, focusing on their key components, the interactions between them, and environmental change. The book also uses geological case studies throughout, in addition to the modern processes. Topics covered in the Second Edition of Earth Environments: Past, Present and Future include: an Earth systems model; components systems and processes; atmospheric systems; oceanography; surface and internal geological systems; biogeography; and aspects of Earth's record. The book also discusses the impact of climate and environmental change in a final chapter that draws together Earth's systems and their evolution, and looks ahead to potential future changes in Earth's environments. Updated to include all the major developments since 2008 Features research boxes containing summaries based on recent key journal articles Includes a companion web site containing multiple choice revision quizzes for students, PowerPoint slides for lecturers, useful links, and more Presents further reading for each topic so that students can build their knowledge base to underpin their own undergraduate research project/dissertation Offers additional case studies in each chapter for enhanced reader understanding Earth Environments: Past, Present and Future is an excellent text for undergraduates in geosciences, environmental science, physical geography, natural hazards, and ecology.

This book introduces readers to seismic inversion methods and their application to both synthetic and real seismic data sets. Seismic inversion methods are routinely used to estimate attributes like P-impedance, S-impedance, density, the ratio of P-wave and S-wave velocities and elastic impedances from seismic and well log data. These attributes help to understand lithology and fluid contents in the subsurface. There are several seismic inversion methods available, but their application and results differ considerably, which can lead to confusion. This book explains all popular inversion methods, discusses their mathematical backgrounds, and demonstrates their capacity to extract information from seismic reflection data. The types covered include model-based inversion, colored inversion, sparse spike inversion, band-limited inversion, simultaneous inversion, elastic impedance inversion and geostatistical inversion, which includes single-attribute analysis, multi-attribute analysis, probabilistic neural networks and multi-layer feed-forward neural networks. In addition, the book describes local and global optimization methods and their application to seismic reflection data. Given its multidisciplinary, integrated and practical approach, the book offers a valuable tool for students and young professionals, especially those affiliated with oil companies.

Every rock is a tangible trace of the earth's past. In The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks, Donald R. Prothero tells the fascinating stories behind the discoveries that shook the foundations of geology. In twenty-five chapters-each about a particular rock, outcrop, or geologic phenomenon-Prothero recounts the scientific detective work that took us from the unearthing of exemplary specimens to tectonic shifts in how we view our planet and history. Prothero follows in the footsteps of the scientists who asked-and answered-geology's biggest questions: How do we know how old the earth is? What happened to the supercontinent Pangea? How did ocean rocks end up at the top of Mount Everest? What can we learn about our planet from meteorites and moon rocks? The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks answers these questions through expertly chosen case studies, such as Pliny the Elder's firsthand account of the eruption of Vesuvius; the granite outcrops that led a Scottish scientist to theorize that the landscapes he witnessed were far older than Noah's Flood; the gypsum deposits under the Mediterranean Sea that indicate that it was once a desert; and how trying to date the age of meteorites revealed the dangers of lead poisoning. Each of these breakthroughs filled in a piece of the puzzle that is the earth, with scientific discoveries dovetailing with each other to offer increasingly solid evidence of the geologic past. Summarizing a wealth of information in an entertaining, approachable style, The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks is essential reading for the armchair geologist, the rock hound, and all who are curious about the earth beneath their feet.

This book provides an overview of asphalt pavement maintenance, highlighting the key asphalt pavement maintenance technologies in China. It analyzes the trend toward preventive maintenance technologies and proposes technical guidelines and implementation rules for preventive maintenance. As such it is a valuable reference resource for technicians in related industries, both in China and abroad, as well as professionals involved in road infrastructure maintenance projects in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

This book presents a systematic methodology for the development of parallel multi-physics models and its implementation in geophysical and biomedical applications. The methodology includes conservative discretization methods for partial differential equations on general meshes, as well as data structures and algorithms for organizing parallel simulations on general meshes. The structures and algorithms form the core of the INMOST (Integrated Numerical Modelling Object-oriented Supercomputing Technologies) platform for the development of parallel models on general meshes. The authors consider applications for addressing specific geophysical and biomedical challenges, including radioactive contaminant propagation with subsurface waters, reservoir simulation, and clot formation in blood flows. The book gathers all the components of this methodology, from algorithms and numerical methods to the open-source software, as well as examples of practical applications, in a single source, making it a valuable asset for applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers alike.

In today's world, deep learning source codes and a plethora of open access geospatial images are readily available and easily accessible. However, most people are missing the educational tools to make use of this resource. Deep Learning for Remote Sensing Images with Open Source Software is the first practical book to introduce deep learning techniques using free open source tools for processing real world remote sensing images. The approaches detailed in this book are generic and can be adapted to suit many different applications for remote sensing image processing, including landcover mapping, forestry, urban studies, disaster mapping, image restoration, etc. Written with practitioners and students in mind, this book helps link together the theory and practical use of existing tools and data to apply deep learning techniques on remote sensing images and data. Specific Features of this Book: The first book that explains how to apply deep learning techniques to public, free available data (Spot-7 and Sentinel-2 images, OpenStreetMap vector data), using open source software (QGIS, Orfeo ToolBox, TensorFlow) Presents approaches suited for real world images and data targeting large scale processing and GIS applications Introduces state of the art deep learning architecture families that can be applied to remote sensing world, mainly for landcover mapping, but also for generic approaches (e.g. image restoration) Suited for deep learning beginners and readers with some GIS knowledge. No coding knowledge is required to learn practical skills. Includes deep learning techniques through many step by step remote sensing data processing exercises.

This book addresses development laws for axial strain and excess pore water pressure in silty clay around subway shield tunnels before and after freezing-thawing when subjected to subway loading, as well as the effect of freezing-thawing on the dynamic parameters of silty clay, including the dynamic modulus and damping ratio, introducing readers to the design and construction of bypasses in subway tunnels with the artificial freezing method. On this basis, it then studies the microstructures of silty clay before and after freezing-thawing cyclic loading by means of scanning electron microscope tests and mercury intrusion porosimetry tests. Lastly, the book presents a numerical simulation of the dynamics of silty clay around subway tunnels before and after thawing. Given its scope, it offers a valuable reference guide for construction researchers and designers alike, as well as senior undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and universities.

People have been interested in caves for a very long time. Our distant ancestors used them for shelter, as sources of water, and as places in which to conduct essential rituals. They adorned their walls with quite sophisticated artwork depicting both their existential and spiritual concerns. Caves feature in our mythology, they are used as places of worship in many cultures, and they are used throughout the world as places in which to store prized foodstuffs and wine. For at least two hundred years they have attracted scientists, artists, photographers, and recreational cavers. This book aims examines how caves form, the light they shed on past environments and climates, and the values, both environmental and cultural, that they provide to humanity. This second edition of Caves: Processes, Development, and Management is a welcome revision of the author's earlier treatment released over twenty years ago. It has been updated, significantly expanded, and largely rewritten. The intervening years have seen a dramatic increase in karst and cave research globally, with significant advances in our understanding of fundamental processes, in our ability to extract proxy climatic and environmental data from cave deposits, and in our understanding of the breadth of cave values and as a result the complexity of their management needs. This new edition adopts a broad international perspective in the research examples used and the cited literature, and has actively sought out material from the tropical world and the southern continents, thus avoiding the European and North American bias frequently found in speleological publications. Caves: Processes, Development, and Management, Second Edition, is organised into four sections. In the first section, contemporary processes of cave formation are examined. The second section of the book deals with past processes and their physical manifestation. In the third section, the use of caves by various organisms from bacteria to humans is explored. The final section of the book reviews our changing approaches to cave management and to catchment management on karst terrains. The book will be of use to anyone who is interested in caves and karst, or who wants to understand about cave formation, development, values and management.

This book is highly informative and carefully presented, providing scientific insights into the flood resources utilization in the Yangtze River Basin both for scholars and decision-makers. The book is for the purpose of analyzing the potential utilization of flood resources in the Yangtze River Basin and exploring effective ways to put forward the countermeasures against the risks. Major objectives of this book include: (1) revealing the characteristics of the inflow and the sediment variation in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, quantitatively evaluating the potential utilization of the flood resources in the Yangtze River and demonstrating the feasibility of its utilization in the Basin; (2) proposing the necessity and feasibility of utilizing the flood resources by the Three Gorges Project; (3) shedding new light on the characteristics of the flood resources, presenting different methods of flood resources utilization in different regions over the Basin and raising the overall risk-optimized strategies of the flood resources utilization in the Yangtze River; (4) analyzing the risk of flood resources utilization for the Three Gorges Project regarding flood control, sediment, ecology, etc., and putting forward the risk-optimized countermeasures of flood resources utilization for the Three Gorges Project.

Contents:
Foreword Preface List of figures and tables Part 1: Framework and Theory 1. The challenge of disasters and our approach 1.1 In at the deep end 1.2 Conventional views of disaster 1.3 What is vulnerability? 1.4 Changes since the first edition 1.5 The International decade for natural disaster reduction 1.6 Convergence and critique 1.7 Audiences 1.8 Scope and plan of the book 1.9 Limits and assumptions 2. The disaster pressure and release model 2.1 The nature of vulnerability 2.2 Cause and effects in the disaster pressure model 2.3 Time and the chain of explanation 2.4 Limits to our knowledge 2.5 Global trends and dynamic pressures 2.6 Uses of the pressure and release model 3. Access to resources and coping in adversity 3.1 Access to resources - an introduction 3.2 New thinking since 1994 3.3 'Normal life' - the formal Access model 3.4 Coping and access to safety Part 2: Vulnerability and Hazard Types 4. Famine and natural hazards 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Famines and their causes 4.3 Explanations of famine 4.4 Complex emergencies, policy famines and human rights 4.5 Causes, pressures, unsafe conditions and famine 4.6 Access and famines 4.7 Policy 4.8 Conclusion 5. Biological hazards 5.1 Introduction 5.2 What are biological hazards? 5.3 Limitations to our treatment of biological hazards 5.4 Biological links with other hazards 5.5 Livelihoods, resources and disasters 5.6 Vulnerability-creating processes 5.7 Pressures affecting defences against biological hazards 5.8 Root causes and pressures 5.9 Steps toward risk reduction 6. Floods 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Floods as known risks 6.3 Disastrous outcomes for vulnerable people 6.4 Floods and vulnerability 6.5 Summary: flood prevention and mitigation 7. Coastal storms 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The physical hazard 7.3 Patterns of vulnerability 7.4 Case-studies 7.5 Policy responses 8. Earthquakes and volcanoes 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Classic case-studies: Guatemala and Mexico 8.3 Recent case-studies 8.4 Volcanoes and related hazards 8.5 Goma, Congo, eruption of Mount Nyiragongo 2002 8.6 Policy response and mitigation Part 3: Towards a Safer Environment 9. Towards a safer environment 9.1 Towards a safer environment: are statements of intent merely hot air? 9.2 From Yokohama to Johannesburg via Geneva 9.3 Risk reduction objectives Notes Bibliography

This book deals with the behaviour of soft ground improved by some of the more common methods, including the installation of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs), or the installation of soil-cement columns formed by deep mixing, or the preloading of soft ground by application of a vacuum pressure in addition to, or instead of, a surcharge loading. In particular, it describes the theories and the numerical modelling techniques that may be applied to these soft ground improvement schemes to estimate the immediate and time-dependent mechanical response of the in situ soil. Particular emphasis has been placed on methods that reliably predict ground deformations associated with ground improvement techniques.

The book commences with a brief description of the various ground improvement methods and then describes general techniques for modelling the behaviour of soft clay subsoils by the finite element method, as well as details of the methods for modelling soft soils improved by the installation of PVDs. It also includes chapters describing the theory of vacuum consolidation and methods for calculating vacuum pressure-induced ground deformation, as well as a theory which can be used to predict the response of soft ground improved by the installation of soil-cement columns. An important distinguishing feature of this book is the routine use of comparisons of predictions of the proposed models with the results of laboratory studies, and particularly field case studies, in order to validate the proposed methods of analysis. The field case histories are from soft soil sites at various locations around the world.

The book is directed towards students of geotechnical engineering as well as geotechnical practitioners. In the main it provides complete derivations of most of the important theoretical results, as the intention was to write a book that could be used as both a teaching text and a reference work for students and practitioners.

Audience The book is intended for geotechnical practitioners as well as for students.

Inside the epic quest to find life on the water-rich moons at the outer reaches of the solar system Where is the best place to find life beyond Earth? We often look to Mars as the most promising site in our solar system, but recent scientific missions have revealed that some of the most habitable real estate may actually lie farther away. Beneath the frozen crusts of several of the small, ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn lurk vast oceans that may have existed for as long as Earth, and together may contain more than fifty times its total volume of liquid water. Could there be organisms living in their depths? Alien Oceans reveals the science behind the thrilling quest to find out. Kevin Peter Hand is one of today's leading NASA scientists, and his pioneering research has taken him on expeditions around the world. In this captivating account of scientific discovery, he brings together insights from planetary science, biology, and the adventures of scientists like himself to explain how we know that oceans exist within moons of the outer solar system, like Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. He shows how the exploration of Earth's oceans is informing our understanding of the potential habitability of these icy moons, and draws lessons from what we have learned about the origins of life on our own planet to consider how life could arise on these distant worlds. Alien Oceans describes what lies ahead in our search for life in our solar system and beyond, setting the stage for the transformative discoveries that may await us.

This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the theory and principle of the Hoek-Brown (HB) failure criterion, methods or guidelines for estimating the HB input parameters, and the methodology of application of the HB criterion in rock engineering projects. It aims to help researchers, engineers and research students who work in the area of rock mechanics and mining engineering. Academics can quickly obtain an overview of the state of the art of the theory and principle of the Hoek-Brown criterion by reading the book before they advance their researches on the topics related to rock failure criteria. Geotechnical engineers can select appropriate Hoek-Brown input parameters for the design and analysis of rock engineering projects with the help of the principles introduced in this book. Research students may use the book as a textbook to learn the principle of rock mechanics related to rock mass properties.

Producing maps that depict the real world accurately has been a major concern of cartographers for centuries. This is especially true today as escalating access to geospatial data and the subsequent increase in user-generated content provided by Web 2.0 have significantly altered the typical processes used to produce, distribute, and use geospatial data.

Focusing on users and decisions as well as the data, Spatial Data Quality: From Process to Decisions provides an up-to-date overview of scientific progress in this core sub-discipline of the Geographic Information Sciences. Presenting results from a number of current research projects in spatial data quality (SDQ) ? from the assessment of data accuracy to legal aspects relating to the quality of geographic information ? this reference reflects the changes in practice in response to the rapid technological developments over the past decade.

An impressive panel of internationally recognized expert contributors focuses on the relationship between the quality of geographic data and the quality of decisions based on such data. Structured for easy reference, the first section of the book discusses conceptual approaches to SDQ, the second presents a number of applications of spatial data quality methods, the third looks at SDQ issues for remote sensing data, and the final section presents papers that consider the interface between the law and SDQ.

In addition to the main chapters presented in each section, a number of shorter notes present on-going and recent research projects investigating various aspects of spatial data quality.

Current developments in air pollution modeling are explored as a series of contributions from researchers at the forefront of their field. This newest contribution on air pollution modeling and its application is focused on local, urban, regional and intercontinental modeling; emission modeling and processing; data assimilation and air quality forecasting; model assessment and evaluation; atmospheric aerosols. Additionally, this work also examines the relationship between air quality and human health and the effects of climate change on air quality. This work is a collection of selected papers presented at the 36th International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modeling and its Application, held in Ottawa, Canada, May 14-18, 2018. The book is intended as reference material for students and professors interested in air pollution modeling at the graduate level as well as researchers and professionals involved in developing and utilizing air pollution models.

Proceedings of a conference on [title] held Dec. 1986, Bangkok. Covers stability of natural and man made slopes, design and analysis of foundations, underground openings and excavations, computer controlled testing and investigation of soils, computer aided solutions for some special problems in eng

Remote Sensing Applications in Environmental and Earth System Sciences is a contemporary, multi-disciplinary, multi-scaling, updated, and upgraded approach of applied remote sensing in the environment. The book begins with an overview of remote sensing technology, and then explains the types of data that can be used as well as the image processing and analysis methods that can be applied to each type of application through the use of case studies throughout. Includes a wide spectrum of environmental applications and issues Explains methodological image analysis and interpretation procedures for conducting a variety of environmental analyses Discusses the development of early warning systems Covers monitoring of the environment as a whole - atmosphere, land, and water Explores the latest remote sensing systems in environmental applications This book is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in remote sensing technologies and their use in Earth systems, natural resources, and environmental science.

This open access book offers a timely guide to challenges and current practices to permanently plug and abandon hydrocarbon wells. With a focus on offshore North Sea, it analyzes the process of plug and abandonment of hydrocarbon wells through the establishment of permanent well barriers. It provides the reader with extensive knowledge on the type of barriers, their functioning and verification. It then discusses plug and abandonment methodologies, analyzing different types of permanent plugging materials. Last, it describes some tests for verifying the integrity and functionality of installed permanent barriers. The book offers a comprehensive reference guide to well plugging and abandonment (P&A) and well integrity testing. The book also presents new technologies that have been proposed to be used in plugging and abandoning of wells, which might be game-changing technologies, but they are still in laboratory or testing level. Given its scope, it addresses students and researchers in both academia and industry. It also provides information for engineers who work in petroleum industry and should be familiarized with P&A of hydrocarbon wells to reduce the time of P&A by considering it during well planning and construction.

Originally published in 1983, Interpretations of Calamity provides a provocative critique of the 'dominant view' of research into natural hazards. Throughout the world, there are now many people professionally engaged in the mitigation and control of risks & hazards, and the impact of continuing economic development will ensure that they are fully employed. There is a wealth of perspectives in the book, including weather and wheat yields in the Soviet Union and Canada, an historical view of underdevelopment and hazards in Ireland and the impact of a response to drought in southern Africa, the Sahel and the Great Plains of the USA. The book reflects the major themes of hazards in the context of economic development and social change. Most of the case studies are from the rural and agriculture scene. This book provides a unique view of the vital importance of food production and of the considerable, and sometimes calamitous, impact that frost, flood, storm and drought have on the wellbeing of millions of people and on the stability of the international economic system.