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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Geology & the lithosphere > Geological surface processes (geomorphology) > General
The American State Normal School is the first comprehensive history of the state normal schools in the United States. Although nearly two-hundred state colleges and regional universities throughout the U.S. began as 'normal' schools, the institutions themselves have buried their history, and scholars have largely overlooked them. As these institutions later became state colleges and/or regional universities, they distanced themselves from the low status of elementary-literally erasing physical evidence of their normal-school past. In doing so, they buried the rich history of generations of students for whom attending normal school was an enriching, and sometimes life-changing experience. Focusing on these students, the first wave of 'non-traditional' students in higher education, The American State Normal School is a much-needed re-examination of the state normal school.This book was subject of an annual History of Education Society panel for best new books in the field.
Soils, invaluable indicators of the nature and history of the physical and human landscape, have strongly influenced the cultural record left to archaeologists. Not only are they primary reservoirs for artifacts, they often encase entire sites. And soil-forming processes in themselves are an important component of site formation, influencing which artifacts, features, and environmental indicators (floral, faunal, and geological) will be destroyed and to what extent and which will be preserved and how well. In this book, Holliday will address each of these issues in terms of fundamentals as well as in field case histories from all over the world. The focus will be on principles of soil geomorphology, soil stratigraphy, and soil chemistry and their applications in archaeological research.
A clear understanding of the processes responsible for observed rock microstructures is essential for making reliable petrogenetic interpretations, including inferences made from chemical and isotopic analyses of minerals. This volume presents a comprehensive survey of rock microstructures, emphasising basic concepts and the latest methods, while highlighting potential pitfalls in the interpretation of the origin of rock microstructure. Richly illustrated with over 250 colour photographs, including more than 10 percent new photomicrographs and several mesoscopic images, it demonstrates the basic processes responsible for the wide variety of microstructures in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. This second edition includes extensive updates to the coverage of igneous rocks as well as recent ideas on physical processes in migmatites and partial melting of sedimentary rocks. This practical guide will continue to be an invaluable resource to advanced students and early-career researchers of mineralogy, petrology and structural geology, as well as professional geologists and material scientists.
What were the landscapes of the past like? What will landscapes look like in the future? Landscapes are all around us, but most of us know very little about how they have developed, what goes on in them, and how they react to changing climates, tectonics and human activities. Examining what landscape is, and how we use a range of ideas and techniques to study it, Andrew Goudie and Heather Viles demonstrate how geomorphologists have built on classic methods pioneered by some great 19th century scientists to examine our Earth. Using examples from around the world, including New Zealand, the Tibetan Plateau, and the deserts of the Middle East, they examine some of the key controls on landscape today such as tectonics and climate, as well as humans and the living world. They also discuss some key 'landscape detectives' from the past, including Charles Darwin who did some important, but often overlooked, research on landscape. Concluding with the cultural importance of landscape, and exploring how this has led to the conservation of much 'earth heritage', they delve into the future and look at how we can predict the response of landscapes to climate change in the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Gravity hazards are a major concern to those living in mountainous areas. To protect infrastructure and human life in these areas, engineers require numerical tools for trajectory analysis, for application from fragmental rockfalls to large-scale avalanches or landslides. This book explores state-of-the-art methods to model the propagation (flows and stops) of masses, using the discrete element method (DEM) to study the evolution of kinetics during an event. Taking into account the shape of the blocks and the topology of the terrain provides an explicit and sophisticated consideration of geometries, eliminating the need for stochastic inputs to rockfall simulations. This method is validated experimentally, before the authors apply it to real case studies. The book ends with an introduction to and comparison with the material point method (MPM), a new and promising approach able to bridge the gap between cases dominated by discreteness and those involving a very large number of elements. Engineering consulting firms, researchers and students should find the approaches outlined in this book useful, whether designing prevention and protection systems for gravity hazards, or exploring new ways to model gravity hazards.
Mars has been extensively photographed by cameras and compositionally detected by spectrometers onboard orbiters on a global scale, and explored in-situ by landers and rovers at both local and outcrop scales in different locations. The results have proved that the Martian surface is rich in Earth-like geomorphologies, and the study of terrestrial analogs to Mars has been listed as one of the highest priorities of Martian science. With increasing new discoveries by in-situ explorations, Mars exploration has begun to enter the era of focusing on detailed analyses at regional to outcrop levels, rather than global mapping. Analog studies are playing a crucial role in this transition, making this book, which introduces the methodology and provides cases for readers, essentially important.Dozens of sites on Earth have been listed as analog targets for comparative study with the geomorphology, geology, geochemistry, environment and habitability of Mars. However, due to the diversity of landforms and forming mechanisms, and the long history of Mars, no single analog site on Earth can be fully compared to Mars. Nonetheless, the Qaidam Basin has been listed as an unique Mars analog site for studying the red planet's geomorphology, geology, and environmental changes, particularly regarding the evolution of paleolakes on Mars. This kind of setting has always been listed as a top priority for the search of life on Mars.This book contains first-hand information and on-site images obtained by the work's contributing authors, and is an essential read for anyone interested in Martian geomorphology and its evolution processes and history.
The Periglacial Environment, Fourth Edition, is an authoritative overview of the world s cold, non-glacial environments. First published in 1976 and subsequently revised in 1996 and 2007, the text has been the international standard for nearly 40 years. The Fourth Edition continues to be a personal interpretation of the frost-induced conditions, geomorphic processes and landforms that characterize periglacial environments. Part One discusses the periglacial concept and describes the typical climates and ecosystems that are involved. Part Two describes the geocryology (permafrost science) associated with frozen ground. Part Three outlines the weathering and geomorphic processes associated with cold-climate conditions. Part Four provides insight into the periglacial environments of the Quaternary, especially the Late Pleistocene. Part Five describes some of the problems associated with human occupancy in regions that experience frozen ground and cold-climate conditions. * Extensively revised and updated * Written by an expert with over 50 years of field research * Draws upon the author s personal experience from Northern Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Tibet, Antarctica, Svalbard, Scandinavia, southern South America, Western Europe and eastern North America This book is an invaluable reference for advanced undergraduates in geography, geology, earth sciences and environmental sciences programs, and to resource managers and geotechnical engineers interested in cold regions.
Focusing on mountain ranges that are relatively unfamiliar to most geologists, this work expands our view of tectonics beyond a standardized textbook approach and illustrates both the extraordinary variety of mountain ranges over the world through time and many of the basic similarities they display. Originally published in 1987. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
The first systematic examination of the role of geomorphological processes in the cycling of carbon through the terrestrial system. Argues that knowledge of geomorphological processes is fundamental to understanding the ways in which carbon is stored and recycled in the terrestrial environment Integrates classical geomorphological theory with understanding of microbial processes controlling the decomposition of organic matter Develops an interdisciplinary research agenda for the analysis of the terrestrial carbon cycle Informed by work in ecology, microbiology and biogeochemistry, in order to analyse spatial and temporal patterns of terrestrial carbon cycling at the landscape scale Considers the ways in which, as Humanity enters the Anthropocene, the application of this science has the potential to manage the terrestrial carbon cycle to limit increases in atmospheric carbon
Sandy beaches represent some of the most dynamic environments on Earth and examining their morphodynamic behaviour over different temporal and spatial scales is challenging, relying on multidisciplinary approaches and techniques. Sandy Beach Morphodynamics brings together the latest research on beach systems and their morphodynamics and the ways in which they are studied in 29 chapters that review the full spectrum of beach morphodynamics. The chapters are written by leading experts in the field and provide introductory level understanding of physical processes and resulting landforms, along with more advanced discussions.
Modeling of flow and transport in groundwater has become an important focus of scientific research in recent years. Most contributions to this subject deal with flow situations, where density and viscosity changes in the fluid are neglected. This restriction may not always be justified. The models presented in the book demonstrate immpressingly that the flow pattern may be completely different when density changes are taken into account. The main applications of the models are: thermal and saline convection, geothermal flow, saltwater intrusion, flow through salt formations etc. This book not only presents basic theory, but the reader can also test his knowledge by applying the included software and can set up own models.
Based on contributions to the first General Assembly of the International Consortium on Landslides, this reference and status report emphasizes the mechanisms of different types of landslides, landslide risk analysis, and sustainable disaster management. It comprises the achievements of the ICL over the past three years, since the Kyoto assembly. It consists of three parts: research results of the International Programme on Landslides (IPL); contributions on landslide risk analysis; and articles on sustainable disaster management. In addition, the history of the ICL activities (under the support of UNESCO, WMO, FAO, UN/ISDR, and UNU) is recounted to create a comprehensive overview of international activity on landslides. The contributions reflect a wide range of topics and concerns, randing from field studies, identification of objects of cultural heritage at landslide risk, as well as landslide countermeasures.
Riverbank filtration is a low cost, yet efficient water treatment technology. It has most potential to provide safe drinking water to large cities located along rivers or lakes. In particular, it is ideal for large population centres in developing countries, where the cost of building extensive treatment facilities is prohibitive. Water filtration can be successfully implemented using naturally occurring sand and gravel along the river/lake banks. The cost of water produced by this means is much lower than that of water treated in conventional treatment plants. Authored by a multi-disciplinary team of experts, this volume addresses the scientific basis of the filtration process, and also numerous topics of importance for the planning, technical realization, and security of such plants. Their application for the removal of relevant chemical pollutants and a variety of pathogens is analysed in detail.
Coasts provides a necessary background in geomorphology for those studying coastal systems. It describes the landforms that occur on the coast, their responses to the processes that shape them, and the pattern of evolution that can be determined for different types of coasts over thousands of years. Numerous examples from around the world illustrate the variety of environments. Particular attention is paid to coastal morphodynamics; the co-adjustment of process and form, on rocky, reef, sandy, deltaic-estuarine and muddy coasts.
This is the first book describing the glorious geology of Iceland's Golden Circle and four additional excursions:(1) the beautiful valleys and mountains of the fjord of Hvalfjoerdur, (2) the unique landscape and geothermal fields of the Hengill Volcano, (3) the explosion craters, volcanic fissures, and lava fields of the Reykjanes Peninsula, and (4) the volcanoes (Hekla, Eyjafjallajoekull, Katla), waterfalls, sandur plains, and rock columns of South Iceland. The Golden Circle offers a unique opportunity to observe and understand many of our planet's forces in action. These forces move the Earth's tectonic plates, rupture the crust, and generate earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, channels for rivers and waterfalls, and heat sources for hot springs and geysers. The Golden Circle includes the famous rifting and earthquake fracture sites at Thingvellir, the hot springs of the Geysir area, the waterfall of Gullfoss, and the Kerid volcanic crater. As the book is primarily intended for people with no background in geosciences, no geological knowledge is assumed and technical terms are avoided as far as possible (those used are explained in a glossary). With more than 240 illustrations - mostly photographs - explaining geological structures and processes, it is also a useful resource for geoscientists.
As major actors in the unfolding drama of climate change, glaciers feature prominently in Earth's past and its future. Wherever on the planet we live, glaciers affect each of us directly. They control the atmospheric and ocean circulations that drive the weather; they supply drinking and irrigation water to millions of people; and they protect us from catastrophic sea-level rise. The very existence of glaciers affects our view of the planet and of ourselves, but it is less than 200 years since we realised that ice ages come and go, and that glaciers once covered much more of the planet's surface than they do now. An inspiration to artists, a challenge for engineers, glaciers mean different things to different people. Crossing the boundaries between art, environment, science, nature and culture, this book uniquely considers glaciers from a myriad perspectives, revealing their complexity, majesty and importance, but also their fragility.
The most recent sensing technologies as they apply to the study of sea ice and its properties are presented in this text. The contributors describe technologies that include acoustic sensing, ice thickness and measurement, ground wave radar, and passive microwave remote sensing. Surface-based radar, coherent and non-coherent, operational airborne radars, synthetic aperture radar and RADARSAT are examined for their usage in the detection of ice hazards in the marine environment. There is also coverage of the mapping of surface currents, sea-state and surface winds, the study of ice dynamics, ice transportation, oil spill counter-measures, climate changes and ice reconnaissance.
Past Glacial Environments, Second Edition, presents a revised and updated version of the very successful first edition of Menzies' book, covering a breadth of topics with a focus on the recognition and analysis of former glacial environments, including the pre-Quaternary glaciations. The book is made up of chapters written by various geological experts from across the world, with the editor's expertise and experience bringing the chapters together. This new and updated volume includes at least 45% new material, along with five new chapters that include a section on techniques and methods. Additionally, this new edition is presented in full color and features a large collection of photographs, line diagrams, and tables with examples of glacial environments and landscapes that are drawn from a worldwide perspective. Informative knowledge boxes and case studies are included, helping users better understand critical issues and ideas.
Ice Caves synthesizes the latest research on ice caves from around the world, bringing to light important information that was heretofore buried in various reports, journals, and archives largely outside the public view. Ice caves have become an increasingly important target for the scientific community in the past decade, as the paleoclimatic information they host offers invaluable information about both present-day and past climate conditions. Ice caves are caves that host perennial ice accumulations and are the least studied members of the cryosphere. They occur in places where peculiar cave morphology and climatic conditions combine to allow for ice to form and persist in otherwise adverse parts of the planet. The book is an informative reference for scientists interested in ice cave studies, climate scientists, geographers, glaciologists, microbiologists, and permafrost and karst scientists.
An erudite work on tectonic resurgence in Late Quaternary time of the Indian subcontinent embracing India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, Neotectonism in the Indian Subcontinent dwells on the causes and consequences of tectonic events that fashioned the landscape of a land characterized by a fragmented framework. The narratives on the structural and geomorphic developments during the morphogenic phase of the geodynamic history of the Indian subcontinent explain many phenomena. These include the tremendous height and spectacular structural-geomorphic architecture of the Himalaya, and the behaviour of wayward rivers in the sinking and rising Indo-Gangetic Plains. In addition are the shifting, deflection, piracy, and even disappearance of rivers and streams in the dry desertic terrane of western India, as well as the unique drainage pattern of the ruptured and rifted plateaus and coastal belts of Peninsular India. The formation of huge lakes due to river ponding in the stable continental shield in Karnataka is also explained. All of these phenomena are accompanied by profuse illustrations. Neotectonism in the Indian Subcontinent portrays the evolution of the extraordinary landforms and landscapes of the subcontinent, constituted by multiple terranes of contrasted lithostructural architecture and distinctive geomorphic layout-each with an altogether different geological history. It chronicles events of crustal unrest or tectonic turmoil manifested as displacement, subsidence, and uplift of the ground with bizarre drainage changes and episodic seismicity. This book caters to planners, engineers, and hazard managers, but also satisfies the curiosity of those who are interested in understanding the formation of the Indian subcontinent.
An up-to-date introduction to the changing surface of the Earth, from the solid crust to the waters, atmosphere, and living things that interact with it How do natural forces erode and sculpt the Earth's landscape? How are solid rocks worn away and how are they recycled? What influences climate change and what effect does this have on our natural environment? This book explains in accessible language how the planet is being constantly remodeled by powerful natural forces such as wind, water, and ice. It recreates past landscapes and explains how studying the evidence of past climates is a vital part of learning about the Earth's climate system, and how and why change comes about. Packed with color photographs and diagrams, the book reveals how to recognize past events recorded in rocks and considers the challenge of predicting the Earth's future.
New Zealand Landscape: Behind the Scene tells the story of New Zealand through the subject of geomorphology, a branch of earth science at the interface of geology and geography. Geomorphology is informally described as the 'science of scenery', and as with every science, ideas evolve as the research frontier advances. Users will find an early 21st century interpretation of the New Zealand landscape, an interpretation that rests on, and draws from, a rich foundation of ideas bequeathed by predecessors who have had the privilege of exploring, researching, and enjoying this corner of the Pacific.
Many research problems in cryospheric science, such as global warming-induced permafrost degradation, require information about the subsurface, which can be imaged using geophysical methods. This book is a practical guide to the application of geophysical techniques in mountainous and polar terrain, where the harsh environment and nature of the subsurface pose particular challenges. It starts with an introduction to the main geophysical methods and then demonstrates their application in periglacial environments through various case studies - written by a team of international experts. The final part of the book presents a series of reference tables with typical values of geophysical parameters for periglacial environments. This handbook is a valuable resource for glaciologists, geomorphologists and geologists requiring an introduction to geophysical techniques, as well as for geophysicists lacking experience of planning and conducting field surveys in cold regions. |
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