This book presents general problems in geoarchaeology, and discusses geophysical solutions, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry applications, X-ray and isotope analyses and GIS technologies. It also examines practical reconstructions of technological processes used in ancient time, and investigates the use of minerals and rocks by ancient societies in the territories of modern Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, as well as the characteristics of ores, metallurgical slags and data on the composition and impurities of archaeological metals. Intended for archaeologists, historians, museum workers and geologists studying noble metals and copper, the book is also a useful resource for students, graduate students, experts and anyone interested in the use of various minerals at different stages of humanity's development.

The book addresses the development of the basic knowledge of the subsurface solute transfer with a particular emphasis on field data collection and analysis coupled with modeling (analytical and numerical) tool application. The relevant theoretical developments are concerned mainly with the formulation and solution of deterministic mass-transport equations for a wide range of engineering issues in groundwater quality assessment and forecasting.

The book gives many computational examples and case studies drawn from the conducted field investigations. The analyzed problems are as follows: investigation and prediction of groundwater contamination by industrial contaminants and solutions (radionuclides, chloride and nitrate brine) with special focus on the effect of (a) aquifer heterogeneity, anisotropy, and dual porosity, (b) density contrast existing between industrial waste and groundwater, or in density-stratified artesian and coastal groundwater systems; (c) physicochemical interactions that play a major role in retarding (e.g. adsorption) or enhancing (e.g. interactions between dissolved species and mobile colloids) contaminant transport;prediction of the effects of pumping on groundwater quality at wellfields;groundwater dating using stable and radioactive isotopes for prediction and assessment of contamination potential;field and laboratory tests' design and analysis, and monitoring data interpretation;partitioning of surface and subsurface flows using isotope techniques.

One of the most essential topics addressed in the book is the migration and fate of radionuclides. Model development is motivated by field data analysis from a number of radioactively contaminated sites in the Russian Federation: near-surface radioactive waste disposal sites and deep-well radioactive waste injection sites. They play a unique role in the advancement of knowledge of the subsurface behavior and fate of many hazardous radionuclides and can be considered as field-scale laboratories.

Thus, the book, along with theoretical findings, contains field information, which will facilitate the understanding of subsurface solute transport and the development of a methodology for practical applications to groundwater hydrology.

This book is a unique and authoritative review of chemical fronts in the world ocean. It includes regional chapters on chemical fronts in all major oceans (Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, Arctic, and Southern) and marginal seas (North Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Yellow Sea, and the East Siberian Sea). Thematic chapters focus on diverse topics such as cross-frontal transfer of nutrients; diapycnal mixing and its impact on nutrient fluxes in western boundary currents (Gulf Stream and Kuroshio); front-driven physical-biogeochemical-ecological interactions; dynamics of coloured dissolved organic matter; pollutant concentration and fish contamination in frontal zones; distribution of microplastics in the ocean, and Lagrangian methods to study the transport of marine litter. This volume will appeal to a broad audience, including researchers, instructors, students, and practitioners of all kinds involved in scientific and applied research, environment protection and conservation, and maritime industries including fisheries, aquaculture, and mining.

Science of Carbon Storage in Deep Saline Formations: Process Coupling across Time and Spatial Scales summarizes state-of-the-art research, emphasizing how the coupling of physical and chemical processes as subsurface systems re-equilibrate during and after the injection of CO2. In addition, it addresses, in an easy-to-follow way, the lack of knowledge in understanding the coupled processes related to fluid flow, geomechanics and geochemistry over time and spatial scales. The book uniquely highlights process coupling and process interplay across time and spatial scales that are relevant to geological carbon storage.

This book introduces what sclerotia grains are, and where and how they exist in soils, by compiling the results obtained from the studies on fungal sclerotia formed by Cenococcum geophilum (Cg) and related species, the visible black small grains persistent for a few thousand to ten thousands of years in forest soils and sediments. The chapters contain the results and discussions on the ecological distribution and regulating factors, characteristics, and function of Cg sclerotia grains, carried out by researchers from soil geography, soil science, soil microbiology, physiology, forestry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, material science, and related disciplines. The anatomy of sclerotia grains in soil was realized in terms of interdisciplinary joint researches, which resulted in deepening understanding of the ecological function of the mesoscale organic component in soils. This book covers the natural history of sclerotia in soils, pedo-sclerotiology.

Silicate Glasses and Melts, Second Edition describes the structure-property-composition relationships for silicate glasses and melts from a geological and industrial perspective. Updated sections include (i) characterization of silicate melt and COHN fluid structure (with and without dissolved silicate components) with pressure, temperature, and redox conditions and responses of structural variables to chemical composition, (ii) determination of solubility and solution mechanisms of COHN volatiles in silicate melts and minerals and of solubility and solution mechanisms of silicate components in COHN fluids, and (iii) effects of very high pressure on structure and properties of melts and glasses. This new book is an essential resource for researchers in a number of fields, including geology, geophysics, geoscience, volcanology, material science, glass science, petrology and mineralogy.

This book presents fundamental experimental data and experiment-based theoretical conclusions on, as well as physico-chemical models of, the natural hydrothermal, metasomatic, metamorphic, magmatic and ore-producing processes in the Earth's crust, upper mantle, transition zone and lower mantle. The topics discussed concern the interactions of oil and aqueous fluids as revealed by aqueous-hydrocarbonic inclusions in synthetic quartz and applied to the natural evolution of oil; determining the solubility and inter-phase partitioning of trace and strategic elements and their components; and experimentally validating physico-chemical mechanisms in the ultrabasic-basic evolution of deep-mantle magmatic and diamond-forming systems. In addition, the book presents experimental studies on the physico-chemical properties of supercritical water and hydrothermal fluids, viscosity of acidic ultramafic magmatic materials melts, peculiarities of metamorphism in basic rocks, kinetics of mineral nucleation in silicate melts and hydrothermal solutions, and influence of complex H2O-CO2-HCl fluids on melting relations in mantle-crust rocks, together with novel results and conclusions. Given its scope, the book will be of great interest to all Earth scientists, lecturers and students specialized in experimental and genetic mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry.

This book highlights Indian scientific endeavours and contributions to answering the vast multitude of questions posed by our changing environment. The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) explores Earth's history and dynamics using deep ocean drilling platforms to recover the data locked inside seafloor sediments and rocks. Since 2009, Indian scientists have been actively engaged in these expeditions. Scientists from various Earth Science disciplines have seized this opportunity to offer their expertise in order to help unravel the mysteries of the past - by delving deep into the valuable sedimentary records of our oceans. This book presents a compilation of some of their most important findings to motivate and encourage young minds for their enhanced role in the cutting edge science of ocean drilling.

This volume contains selects papers presented during the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Geotechnology, Recycled Waste Materials and Sustainable Engineering, held in the University of Illinois at Chicago. It covers the recent innovations, trends, and concerns, practical challenges encountered, and the solutions adopted in waste management and engineering, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, infrastructure engineering, and sustainable engineering. This book will be useful for academics, educators, policy makers and professionals working in the field of civil engineering, chemical engineering, environmental sciences and public policy.

This book is aimed at generalizing the modern ideas of both biogeochemical and environmental risk assessment that have been developed in recent years. Only a few books are available for readers in this interdisciplinary area, since most books deal mainly with various technical aspects of ERA description and calculations. This text aims at supplementing the existing books by providing a modern understanding of mechanisms that are responsible for ecological risks for human beings and ecosystems. The book is to a certain extent a summary of both scientific results of various authors and of classes in biogeochemistry and ERA, taught by the author in recent years to students in the USA, in particular at Cornell, and in different universities in Moscow, Pushchino, Seoul, and Bangkok.

This book outlines the current status of the environment in the Republic of Adygea in Russia. The book assesses the environmental conditions, ecological state, climate and vegetation change, anthropogenic loads to soil, water and atmosphere as well as highlighting the potential of water resources, renewable energy and development of tourism, agriculture and industry in this region. It also presents the mechanisms of legal, ecological and economic regulation and environmental insurance in the Republic of Adygea. This book introduces the Republic of Adygea to readers who are not familiar with the Republic and its beautiful landscapes, history and people. It offers a valuable source of information for a broad readership, from students and scientists interested in environmental sciences, to policymakers and practitioners working in the fields of environmental policy and management.

'The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.' ALBERT EINSTEIN, 1950 The tremendous progress of recent years in the field of isotopes in the earth sciences has proved invaluable in attempting to solve a varied spectrum of geological and geochemical problems. The lunar exploration programmes provided rocks for analysis, stimulating refinements in mass spectrometry which were later used for terrestrial samples too. Among significant advances was the development of electrostatic tandem accelerator mass spectrometers allowing the precise measure ment of abundances of cosmic radionuclides. Also, new geochronometers were devised, for instance those dependent upon the radioactive decay of samarium-I47 to neodymium-I43, lutetium-176 to hafnium-176, rhenium-I87 to osmium-I87 and potassium-40 to calcium40, these supplementing prior dating methods. Their impact as regards the origin of igneous rocks was considerable. Isotopic compositions of neodymium, strontium, lead and hafnium in these rocks showed that magmas from the mantle are often crustally contaminated. In addition, isotopic compositions of carbon, oxygen and sulphur aided the elucidation of aspects of petrogenesis. These and many other facets of the subject are discussed in this book."

Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change, Fourth Edition, considers how the basic chemical conditions of the Earth, from atmosphere to soil to seawater, have been, and are being, affected by the existence of life. Human activities in particular, from the rapid consumption of resources to the destruction of the rainforests and the expansion of smog-covered cities, are leading to rapid changes in the basic chemistry of the Earth. The new edition features expanded coverage of topics, including the cryosphere, the global hydrogen cycle, biomineralization and the movement of elements across landscapes and continents by organisms and through global trade. The book will help students and researchers extrapolate small-scale examples to a global level. With cross-referencing of chapters, figures and tables, and an interdisciplinary coverage of the topic, this updated edition provides an excellent framework for examining global change and environmental chemistry.

Surface and Interface Chemistry of Clay Minerals, Volume 9, delivers a fundamental understanding of the surface and interface chemistry of clay minerals, thus serving as a valuable resource for researchers active in the fields of materials chemistry and sustainable chemistry. Clay minerals, with surfaces ranging from hydrophilic, to hydrophobic, are widely studied and used as adsorbents. Adsorption can occur at the edges and surfaces of clay mineral layers and particles, and in the interlayer region. This diversity in properties and the possibility to tune the surface properties of clay minerals to match the properties of adsorbed molecules is the basis for study. This book requires a fundamental understanding of the surface and interface chemistry of clay minerals, and of the interaction between adsorbate and adsorbent. It is an essential resource for clay scientists, geologists, chemists, physicists, material scientists, researchers, and students.

Choice Recommended Title, August 2019 Read an exclusive interview with Professor Vera Kolb here. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life on Earth. This exciting and significant field of research also investigates the potential existence and search for extra-terrestrial life in the Solar System and beyond. This is the first handbook in this burgeoning and interdisciplinary field. Edited by Vera Kolb, a highly respected astrobiologist, this comprehensive resource captures the history and current state of the field. Rich in information and easy to use, it assumes basic knowledge and provides answers to questions from practitioners and specialists in the field, as well as providing key references for further study. Features: Fills an important gap in the market, providing a comprehensive overview of the field Edited by an authority in the subject, with chapters written by experts in the many diverse areas that comprise astrobiology Contains in-depth and broad coverage of an exciting field that will only grow in importance in the decades ahead

The benthic boundary layer is of considerable interest to geochemists, sedimentologists, biologists, and engineers. This book of original chapters edited by leading reseachers in the field provides an ideal reference on measurments, techniques, and models for transport and biochemical processes in the benthic boundary layer. Each chapter provides a comprehensive review of a selected field, with illustrated examples from the authors own work.

The aim of this book is to unlock the power of the freeware R language to advanced university students and researchers dealing with whole-rock geochemistry of (meta-) igneous rocks. The first part covers data input/output, calculation of commonly used indexes and plotting in R. The core of the book then focusses on the presentation and practical implementations of modelling techniques used for fingerprinting processes such as partial melting, fractional crystallization, binary mixing or AFC using major-, trace-element and radiogenic isotope data. The reader will be given a firm theoretical basis for forward/reverse modelling, followed by exercises dealing with typical problems likely to be encountered in real life, and their solutions using R. The concluding sections demonstrate, using practical examples, how a researcher can proceed in developing a realistic model simulating natural systems. The appendices outline the fundamentals of the R language and provide a quick introduction to the open-source R-package GCDkit for interpretation of whole-rock geochemical data from igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Features Surveys of the systems approach to analysing and understanding multifaceted, complex problems in astrobiology, written by two scientists who also have engineering backgrounds. Systems applications to areas important to astrobiology, such as chemical evolution, prebiotic chemistry, geochemical/geophysical settings conducive to emergence of life, robotic space exploration, and much more. Wide appeal for all readers interested in the origin and occurrence of life in our Solar System and beyond.

The burgeoning field of data science has provided a wealth of techniques for analysing large and complex geospatial datasets, including descriptive, explanatory, and predictive analytics. However, applying these methods is just one part of the overall process of geographic data science. Other critical steps include screening for suspect data values, handling missing data, harmonizing data from multiple sources, summarizing the data, and visualizing data and analysis results. Although there are many books available on statistical and machine learning methods, few encompass the broader topic of scientific workflows for geospatial data processing and analysis. The purpose of Geographic Data Science with R is to fill this gap by providing a series of tutorials aimed at teaching good practices for using geospatial data to address problems in environmental geography. It is based on the R language and environment, which currently provides the best option for working with diverse spatial and non-spatial data in a single platform. Fundamental techniques for processing and visualizing tabular, vector, and raster data are introduced through a series of practical examples followed by case studies that combine multiple types of data to address more complex problems. The book will have a broad audience. Both students and professionals can use it as a workbook to learn high-level techniques for geospatial data processing and analysis with R. It is also suitable as a textbook. Although not intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to R, it is designed to be accessible to readers who have at least some knowledge of coding but little to no experience with R. Key Features: Focus on developing practical workflows for processing and integrating multiple sources of geospatial data in R Example-based approach that teaches R programming and data science concepts through real-world applications related to climate, land cover and land use, and natural hazards. Consistent use of tidyverse packages for tabular data manipulation and visualization. Strong focus on analysing continuous and categorical raster datasets using the new terra package Organized so that each chapter builds on the topics and techniques covered in the preceding chapters Can be used for self-study or as the textbook for a geospatial science course.

This study describes the fundamentals of assessing the vulnerability of coral islands, as well as environmental management and resource exploitation. Using seabird subfossils, such as bones, guano, eggshells etc., which have been well preserved on the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, the author identifies the influences of climate change and human activity on seabird populations and diets. Understanding the past is of great importance for predicting the future, and seabird subfossils provide valuable information, which can be used to study changes in seabird ecology, paleoceanography and palaeoclimate. Furthermore, this study proposes examining the biogeochemical cycling of some elements present in the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. Dr. Liqiang Xu works at the Hefei University of Technology, China.

Direct methods are, at present, applied to a large variety of cases: X-ray, neutron or electron data; single crystal and powder data; small molecules and macromolecules. While direct methods solved in practice the phase problem for small molecules, their application to macromolecules is recent and still undergoing strong development. The fundamentals of the methods are described: in particular it is shown how the methods can be optimized for powder, neutron or electron data, and how they can be integrated with isomorphous replacement, molecular replacement and anomalous dispersion techniques. Maximum Entropy methods are also described and discussed. Sets of test structures are used to verify, throughout the various chapters, the mathematical techniques there described and to provide practical examples of applications. This book will appeal to a wide variety of readers - offering both a comprehensive description of direct methods in crystallography and an invaluable reference tool. The first three chapters can be considered as an introduction to the field, with sufficient material to constitute a university course and for allowing the expert use of most direct methods programs. Subsequent chapters are aimed at graduate students and working crystallographers. Basic results are described and discussed in the main body of the text, while the appendices compliment these with in depth mathematical details. The quoted literature is extremely wide and the interested reader can find suggestions for future work and further reading throughout the book.

This volume focuses on modelling the fate of chemicals in the environment and the human body to arrive at an integrated exposure assessment. It covers five broad topics, namely: future challenges in exposure assessment; the evolution of human health and environmental risk assessment; standard documentation for exposure models; modelling different environmental components (i.e. surface waters, atmosphere, soil, groundwater, plants, aquatic organisms and mammals); and the fate of contaminants in humans. This work draws on the authors' and editors' extensive experience and a range of different research activities, including case studies, that have led to the development of MERLIN-Expo, a standardised software package for simulating the fate of chemicals in the main environmental systems and in the human body in an integrated manner. It will be of considerable interest to researchers and students, risk managers, and policy- and decision-makers whose work involves environmental protection and human health.

This book presents a collection of essays that address various facets of the hydrogeology of Israel. Despite its small geographic size, Israel exhibits a variety of climates and is located between two regional fluctuating base levels. The respective chapters discuss the variety of hydrogeological configurations and hydrological processes produced by these geographical circumstances. In some cases, the interpretation of these aspects is deliberately left open to debate, because the authors were asked to provide, in addition to their own views, also alternative and even conflicting ones. Hydrogeological configurations similar to those in Israel can be found in other countries around the world. Therefore, researchers, scholars and professionals in this interdisciplinary field can benefit from and directly apply the considerable experience and expertise that has been gathered in Israel over the past few decades.

Features Surveys of the systems approach to analysing and understanding multifaceted, complex problems in astrobiology, written by two scientists who also have engineering backgrounds. Systems applications to areas important to astrobiology, such as chemical evolution, prebiotic chemistry, geochemical/geophysical settings conducive to emergence of life, robotic space exploration, and much more. Wide appeal for all readers interested in the origin and occurrence of life in our Solar System and beyond.

Isotope Geochemistry: The Origin and Formation of Manganese Rocks and Ores is a comprehensive reference on global manganese deposits, including their origins and formations. Manganese is both a significant industrial chemical, critical for steel-making, and a strategic mineral, occurring in abundance only in certain countries. Furthermore, it is used effectively in CO2 sequestration, helping to mitigate greenhouse gas emission challenges around the world. For these reasons, exploration for manganese is very active, yet access to the primary academic literature can be a challenge, especially in field operations. Isotope Geochemistry brings this material together in a single source, making it the ideal all-in-one reference that presents the supporting data, analytics, and interpretation from known manganese deposits. This book is an essential resource for researchers and scientists in multiple fields, including exploration and economic geologists, mineralogists, geochemists, and environmental scientists alike.