Soil contamination . . . public lands . . . surface and groundwater pollution . . . coastal erosion . . . global warming. Have we reached the limits of this planet's ability to provide for us? If so, what can we do about it?These vital questions are addressed in "The Earth Around Us," a unique collection of thirty-one essays by a diverse array of today's foremost scientist-writers. Sharing an ability to communicate science in a clear and engaging fashion, the contributors explore Earth's history and processes--especially in relation to today's environmental issues--and show how we, as members of a global community, can help maintain a livable planet. The narratives in this collection are organized into seven parts that describe: Earth's time and history and the place of people on it Views of nature and the ethics behind our conduct on Earth Resources for the twenty-first century, such as public lands, healthy forests and soils, clean ground and surface waters, and fluctuating coastlines Ill-informed local manipulations of landscapes across the United States Innovative solutions to environmental problems that arise from knowledge of the interactions between living things and the Earth's air, water, and soil Natural and human-induced global scale perturbations to the earth system Our responsibility to people and all other organisms that live on Earth. Never before has such a widely experienced group of prominent earth scientists been brought together to help readers understand how earth's environment works. Driven by the belief that earth science is, and should be, an integral part of everyday life, "The Earth Around Us" empowers all of us to play a more educated and active part in thesearch for a sustainable future for our planet and its inhabitants.

Richard John Chorley was known as a leading figure in quantitative geography in the late 20th Century and played an instrumental role in bringing the use of systems theory to geography. This set of 7 reissued works either edited by or written by Chorley offers a great wealth of scholarship on geography and geomorphology.

Effective management of a water well requires that the water well can meet a set of performance indicators. These can include criteria related to water quality, yield, economics and asset life. Water well deterioration due to fouling and corrosion impacts the ability of a well system to meet these criteria. Managing well deterioration processes involves understanding the nature of these processes and having in place water well maintenance strategies to deal with them. Managing water well deterioration fills a need within the literature for an academically based informative text that incorporates practical advice. The focus on a problem-oriented approach to diagnosing well deterioration makes the book a useful practical handbook. It integrates concepts from hydrogeology, hydrochemistry and microbiology to give a thorough understanding of water well deterioration processes. Scenarios have been developed to illustrate common causes of water well fouling. A feature of the book is the treatment of both corrossion and fouling issues in depth. Case studies selected from around the world are uses to illustrate approaches to the diagnosis and remediation of well deterioration. These scientifically orientated perspectives on water well deterioration are embedded within a management framework to provide a comprehensive approach to dealing with water well deterioration.

The proceedings contain five invited lectures and 99 papers relevant to landslide occurrence and problems from Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia and New Zealand. The five special invited lectures deal with a variety of important aspects of landslides.

Originally published in 1984. This major text covers the whole discipline of geomorphology, presenting a clear and comprehensive overview of the field, drawing on the full range of modern research. Landforms and their formative processes are treated on a broad spectrum of spatial scales, and examples are drawn from the major geological, climatic and biotic environments. The book is divided conveniently into some 170 clearly defined sections to allow readers to make the most efficient use of those parts of the text relevant to their particular needs. After introducing the basic concepts such as systems analysis, morphologic and cascading systems, the historical-evolutionary approach and process-response geomorphology, the book moves on to the geological background to geomorphology and then the extensive third part deals with the geomorphic processes and responding landforms. Part four examines climatic geomorphology and the appendix touches on applied geomorphology, especially fluvial processes.

This text brings together meteorology and the theory of glacier flow, providing a fundamental understanding of how glaciers respond to climate change. Attention is paid to the microclimate of glaciers and the physical processes regulating the exchange of energy and mass between glacier surface and atmosphere. Simple analytical and numerical models are used to:
investigate glaciers sensitivity to climate change
estimate response times
make an interpretation of historical glacier records
assess the contribution of glacier melt to sea-level rise
Modern developments in glacier research, including satellite measurements are discussed in detail, making this a valuable reference source.

This volume describes mountains from all over the world, with an emphasis on mountain landforms, but also looks at their rocks, structure and age. This leads to a deduction on the mechanism which formed them, causing the authors to reject the pre-conceived and well known hypothesis that plate tectonics and folding creates mountains. The book approaches mountains from facts about mountain landscapes rather than theory. It illustrates that almost everywhere, mountains arose by vertical uplift of a former plain, and by a mixture of cracking and warping by earth movements, and erosion by rivers and glaciers, the present mountainous landscapes were created. It also gives evidence that this uplift only occured in the last few million years, a time scale which does not fit the plate tectonics theory. Another part of the evidence, shows that mountain uplift correlates very well with climatic change. Mountain building could have been responsible for the onset of the ice age. It certainly resulted in the creation of new environments.

The hazards posed to engineering structures by salt weathering are increasing because of such diverse factors as the spread of irrigation and high levels of atmospheric pollution. Salt weathering is also a potent cause of rock decay and geomorphological change in polar, coastal and desert environments. The book discusses the reasons why the hazards are increasing and presents striking case studies from many parts of the world. It also discusses the nature and sources of different salts, the mechanisms that cause the deterioration of building materials and natural rock outcrops, the geomorphological processes of salt attack and their impact on landform development, and the strategies and techniques that are available to combat salt attack. The book is extensively illustrated and has a very comprehensive bibliography of the multi-disciplinary literature.

Modeling of Magmatic and Allied Processes presents methods and models for the quantification of geological processes. Conceptual models for magmatic differentiation involving crystallization and mixing are presented and applied to field and textural data. Model equations for the degree of partial melting in presence perturbations of lithospheric geotherms and partitioning of trace/radioactive elements in the matrix and melts, and the formation of continents with melt additions are described. Diverse magmatic products are shown to result from differentiation processes rather than magmatic source heterogeneities. The degree of partial melting depends on mantle temperatures, for which parameterized thermal convection models are reviewed. Perturbations in geotherms caused by mantle heat flow, CO2 flux from great depths and tectonic thrusting are analyzed. The petrogenetic significance of accessory minerals of felsic magma evolution is assessed with the help of examples from Carpathian granitoids. Methods for simulating the 3-D Concentration and Distribution Models (DC-DMs) and fractal dimension of evolving magma systems are described with examples. The use of conventional scanning electron microscopy methods and electron microprobe to characterize and infer magmatic processes is explained, and the background and economic potential of hydrothermal systems are examined. The nature of oxidizing felsic magmas along with their potential for copper mineralization is discussed. In closing, the handling, calculation and plotting of geochemical data for igneous rock suites using the R-language-based software Geochemical Data Toolkit (GCDkit) along with plug-in modules for the forward and reverse mass-balance calculation of fractional crystallization are demonstrated.

This text gives an overview of the main landslide field sites. It covers aspects of recent landslide research at the University of Wollongong.
Topics: An overview of the main landslide field sites in the 9th ICFL; Aspects of recent landslide research at the University of Wollongong; Infiltration of rainwater and slope failure; Landslide hazards and highway engineering in Central and Northern Jordan; El NiAo 1997-98: Direct costs of damaging landslides in the San Francisco Bay region; Mass movement features in the vincinity of the town Sorbas, South-east Spain; The movements and the countermeasures of the Choja Landslide; Interest in landslide hazard information - Parallels between Kingston, Jamaica and the San Francisco Bay region, USA; Slide activity in quick clay related to pore water pressure and weather parameters; Old and recent landslides of Barranco de Tirajana basin, Gran Canaria, Spain.

The text on tidal hydraulic engineering includes discussion of: basic characterstics of tides and tidal propagation; hydrographic surveys in tidal rivers; and design considerations for tidal sluice gates for drainage and fish farms in aquaculture.

This proceedings book investigates the possibilities for creating new models of the continental lithosphere structure by integrating methods from geothermodynamics and deep geoelectrics. It particularly focuses on the use of powerful controlled sources of electromagnetic field to study the nature of deep geophysical boundaries. It also presents research related to the transition boundary between the brittle and quasiplastic states of Earth's crust matter and the position of creep areas in Earth's crust, as well as geothermal and rheological studies in combination with the deep electromagnetic soundings - a promising direction that allows the tectonophysical reconstruction of natural stresses in the lithosphere. The experimental study results and tectonophysical modeling are discussed in the context of the Fennoscandinavian shield, the Indian Craton, the Himalayas, Eastern Tibet and the Eurasian continent as a whole. The book appeals to researchers interested in solid Earth physics.

Because water is one of the most important life-supporting media on the planet, the quality of aquatic ecosystems is of great interest to the entire world population. One of the factors that greatly affects water quality is the condition of the underlying sediment layer. The Manual of Physico-Chemical Analysis of Aquatic Sediments addresses the best methods for quantitative determination of chemical forms of different elements and compounds, bioassessment techniques, and determination of physical properties of sediments. Essential information for surveying, research, and monitoring of sediment contamination is covered. This manual will aid sediment biologists, geochemists, limnologists, regulatory program managers, environmental chemists and toxicologists and environmental consultants in preparing plans for proper remedial action.

Salt and Sediment Dynamics presents a thorough treatment of salt and sediment interactions and the implications of such interactions for sub-salt exploration. The book emphasizes and utilizes recent discoveries on many aspects of salt and sediment interactions, provides the theoretical framework for interpreting the increasing amount of available data on salt and sediments, and develops a self-consistent dynamical evolution model of salt structures and their interaction with surrounding sediments.
The model developed in the text consists of an evolving salt structure that influences sediment motion with self-consistent evolution of sediments and salt shape. The resulting stress and strain in the sediments and the thermal focusing effects of the salt are evaluated. The salt and sediments in the model are consistent with observed geometries, a result of having freely adjustable, observation-controlled model parameters.
In addition, the book describes case histories in a variety of geological settings, thus explaining aspects of the genesis and development of salt structures, of their impact on sedimentary structural evolution, and of the impact of sediments on salt masses.
The techniques developed by the authors expand the current state of knowledge regarding the evolution and dynamics of salt structures and increase the potential for effective sub-salt hydrocarbon exploration.

A concise account of all major branches of sedimentary geology, highlighting the connecting links between them. Introduction; Processes of sedimentation; Sedimentary texture; Sedimentary petrology; Hydraulics, sediment transportation and structures of mechanical origin; Sedimentary environments and facies; Tectonics and sedimentation; Stratigraphy and sedimentation; Basin analysis: A synthesis; References; Index.

The main objective of this research is to investigate the governing processes and characteristics that drive morphodynamic evolution in alluvial estuaries by application of a process-based numerical model (Delft3D). It is of utmost importance to understand estuarine processes so that impact of human interference (like dredging and land reclamation) and long-term changes (like sea level rise) can be evaluated. The research addresses a number of cases ranging from an rectangular basins to real estuaries like the Western Scheldt in the Netherlands or San Pablo Bay in California. The more schematized approach allow to study morphodynamic evolution over several millennia under constant forcing and answers more fundamental questions related to conditions of equilibrium and related time scales. The more realistic cases give insight into the skill of the approach in predicting decadal morphodynamic developments. More processes are included to mimic realistic conditions and model results are compared to bathymetric measurements over the last century. The research shows that the modeling approach is good capable of describing stable morphodynamic calculations over a timescale of millennia with patterns similar to patterns observed in reality. Additionally, the approach shows that it is possible to predict decadal morphodynamic developments in real estuaries with significant skill.

This book provides a general survey of Geocryology, which is the study of frozen ground called permafrost. Frozen ground is the product of cold climates as well as a variety of environmental factors. Its major characteristic is the accumulation of large quantities of ice which may exceed 90% by volume. Soil water changing to ice results in ground heaving, while thawing of this ice produces ground subsidence often accompanied by soil flowage. Permafrost is very susceptible to changes in weather and climate as well as to changes in the microenvironment. Cold weather produces contraction of the ground, resulting in cracking of the soil as well as breakup of concrete, rock, etc. Thus permafrost regions have unique landforms and processes not found in warmer lands. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 provides an introduction to the characteristics of permafrost. Four chapters deal with its definition and characteristics, the unique processes operating there, the factors affecting it, and its general distribution. Part 2 consists of seven chapters describing the characteristic landforms unique to these areas and the processes involved in their formation. Part 3 discusses the special problems encountered by engineers in construction projects including settlements, roads and railways, the oil and gas industry, mining, and the agricultural and forest industries. The three authors represent three countries and three language groups, and together have over 120 years of experience of working in permafrost areas throughout the world. The book contains over 300 illustrations and photographs, and includes an extensive bibliography in order to introduce the interested reader to the large current literature. Finalist of the 2019 PROSE Awards.

This book presents practical hydraulic and river engineering research along with fluvial geomorphological concepts, and links the theoretical and practical knowledge of people working every day with rivers, streams, and hydraulic structures to fluvial geomorphology. Besides providing a guide for professionals, this book also provides material for students to acquire the knowledge and skills to rehabilitate rivers, streams, and waterways.

This helpful book underscores the importance of working with both the individual and family as part of a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach in assessment, intervention, and treatment of chemical addiction. With many case studies highlighting the treatment guidelines, Chemical Dependency is an ideal guide for professionals and students in addictions studies, mental health, and other human service related fields intent on working with and providing services to individual and family addiction.

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.

Considering that glaciers and ice sheets cover about 10% of the Earth's land surface in a world where human civilization is increasingly impacted by the effects of changing glacial activity, Colour Atlas of Glacial Phenomena presents itself as an indispensable guide for students, professionals, and researchers who want to be better informed while studying and tracking the future influences of glaciers and ice sheets on the global environment. While stressing both the beauty and utility of glaciers, the authors cover critical features of glaciers and their landforms and provide useful explanations of the key concepts in glaciology and glacial geology. The authors expand to demonstrate how our lives are influenced by the Cryosphere, a key component of the Earth system and how this heightens the vulnerability of glaciers and ice sheets to deterioration. This illustrated book also helpfully maps out regions of mountain glaciers and ice caps around the world for a practical reference and discusses the products of glacial erosion and deposition integral to understanding rising global sea levels.

One of the problems which beset the practical conservation of stone buildings is the fragmentation of the disciplines involved. This book, with both volumes now available as one invaluable paperback, brings these disciplines together by the involvement of contributors with different experiences and approaches to the same material. Part one is an introduction to the complexities and background history of stone conservation followed by the most comprehensive description yet produced of the building and decorative stones used in the British Isles. In part two, practitioners involved in stone conservation describe ways in which major structural masonry problems, secondary building problems and different stone surface conditions may be treated. A variety of building types and environments has been used to ensure that the broad scope of common problems is covered. This second part of the book will be of practical value to art historians, archaeologists, architects, surveyors and engineers, masonry contractors and sculpture conservators in solving problems and in learning to use each other's skills and experience.

In geomorphology, landform inheritance refers to the inherited relationship of different landform morphologies in a certain area during the evolutionary process. This book studies loess landform inheritance based on national basic geographic data and GIS spatial analysis method. It reveals the Loess Plateau formation mechanism and broadens the understanding of spatial variation pattern of loess landform in the Loess Plateau.

This book is the outcome of rigorous and continuous research work done by the author over about three decades on the open ecosystem and dynamic environment of the estuarine Sunderbans. The objective of this work is to identify the field and factors changing gradually upon this active delta over the years, decades and centuries. The deltaic Sunderbans yet not mature enough, has been changing in its natural course with time. Further, anthropogenic interferences disturb the environments and accelerate degradation of nature of this fragile ecosystem simultaneously. Roles played by almost all the agents including man and environment and their involvement are identified for the changing environmental scenario of the Sunderbans. The book is befitted for the researchers and students for the post graduate levels. The Sunderbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering parts of Bangladesh and the southern tip of Indian state of West Bengal, is a part of world's largest deltaic plain of fluvio-marine deposit formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world, conspicuous for its great size and biodiversity. With an enormous network of channels and creeks, tidal inundation twice daily, Sunderbans mangroves wetland is a dynamic and complex ecosystem, which undergoes continuous processes of erosion and accretion. Natural processes like changes in local hydrology, sediment motion under wind, wave and tidal action, beach dynamics, regional and global processes like sea level rise as well as the impact of human interference in the form of reclamation of forest land, changes in land use patterns, coastal urbanizations etc are the lead factors for the changes in the environmental scenario of Sunderbans.

This volume presents a suite of detailed stratigraphic and sedimentologic investigations of the Eocene Green River Formation of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, one of the world's foremost terrestrial archives of lacustrine and alluvial deposition during the warmest portion of the early Cenozoic. Its twelve chapters encompass the rich and varied record of lacustrine stratigraphy, sedimentology, geochronology, geochemistry and paleontology. Chapters 2-9 provide detailed member-scale synthesis of Green River Formation strata within the Greater Green River, Fossil, Piceance Creek and Uinta Basins, while its final two chapters address its enigmatic evaporite deposits and ichnofossils at broad, interbasinal scale.