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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Geology & the lithosphere > Geological surface processes (geomorphology)
This book provides an advanced introduction to the science behind automated prediction systems, focusing on sea ice analysis and forecasting. Starting from basic principles, fundamental concepts in sea ice physics, remote sensing, numerical methods, and statistics are explained at an accessible level. Existing operational automated prediction systems are described and their impacts on information providers and end clients are discussed. The book also provides insight into the likely future development of sea ice services and how they will evolve from mainly manual processes to increasing automation, with a consequent increase in the diversity and information content of new ice products. With contributions from world-leading experts in the fields of sea ice remote sensing, data assimilation, numerical modelling, and verification and operational prediction, this comprehensive reference is ideal for students, sea ice analysts, and researchers, as well as decision-makers and professionals working in the ice service industry.
Resolution of the sixty year debate over continental drift, culminating in the triumph of plate tectonics, changed the very fabric of Earth science. This four-volume treatise on the continental drift controversy is the first complete history of the origin, debate and gradual acceptance of this revolutionary theory. Based on extensive interviews, archival papers and original works, Frankel weaves together the lives and work of the scientists involved, producing an accessible narrative for scientists and non-scientists alike. This first volume covers the period in the early 1900s when Wegener first pointed out that the Earth's major landmasses could be fitted together like a jigsaw and went on to propose that the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass, which he named Pangaea. It describes the reception of Wegener's theory as it splintered into sub-controversies and geoscientists became divided between the 'fixists' and 'mobilists'.
Approaches to research on the causes and impacts of soil erosion have changed significantly over recent years. Whereas biophysical research traditionally utilized small, carefully-managed erosion plots, models and methods are now available to study impacts of broad scale management on the hydrology and water quality of catchments and even river basins. Corresponding research tools have been developed for social and economic analysis at the household, farm and community levels. This book reviews the latest developments in such soil erosion studies. These are considered on a matrix of scales, from plot to river basin, and from farm to national policy. Some chapters review background issues while others consider specific methods. Conclusions of working groups are presented in another chapter. The book is based on papers presented at a workshop held in Indonesia in November 1997, and includes authors from Europe, America, Australia and Asia, as well as from several of the CGIAR centers.
This book on multiscale seismic tomography, written by one of the leaders in the field, is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and professionals in Earth and planetary sciences who need to broaden their horizons about seismotectonics, volcanism, and interior structure and dynamics of the Earth and Moon. It describes the state-of-the-art in seismic tomography, with emphasis on the new findings obtained by applying tomographic methods in local, regional, and global scales for understanding the generating mechanism of large and great earthquakes such as the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0), crustal and upper mantle structure, origin of active arc volcanoes and intraplate volcanoes including hotspots, heterogeneous structure of subduction zones, fate of subducting slabs, origin of mantle plumes, mantle convection, and deep Earth dynamics. The first lunar tomography and its implications for the mechanism of deep moonquakes and lunar evolution are also introduced.
In this thesis, coupling between the delivery of slope material into valley floors and river erosion is considered to be a factor in the evolution of mid-altitude, forested mountains. Analyses of slope-channel interactions were made in ten small catchments with particular emphasis on landsliding-erosion feedback. An original, new dendrogeomorphic approach was applied to determine the cyclic occurrence of landsliding and erosion during recent decades. The results of dendrochronological studies show that the processes studied are strongly interdependent. Fluvial erosion can trigger landsliding by undermining slope bases. Landsliding can intensify erosion by delivering slope material into valley floors. The results of dendrochronological studies have permitted a better understanding of the relief observed in areas where landslides and erosion are coupled. A scheme was established which describes the importance of coupling in the evolution of mid-mountain landscape.
Since 1980, our understanding of the factors and processes governing the distribution of soils on the Earth’s surface has increased dramatically, as have the techniques for studying soil patterns. The approach used in this book relies on the National Resources Conservation Service databases to delineate the distribution of each of the eight diagnostic epipedons and 19 subsurface horizons, to identify the taxonomic level at which each of these horizons is used, to develop an understanding of the role of the factors and processes in their formation and to summarize our latest understanding of their genesis. A chapter is devoted to each diagnostic horizon (or combined horizons). This book is intended to serve as a textbook in soil geography, a reference book for geographers, ecologists and geologists and a tool for soil instructors, landlookers, mappers, classifiers and information technologists.
Mapping Geomorphological Environments is a highly descriptive textbook providing an excellent introduction to the latest methodologies for mapping geomorphological formations in a variety of different environments. Its holistic approach seeks to provide a meaningful linkage between state of the art techniques for geomorphological mapping, including the latest innovations in geospatial applications, and advances in the understanding of the formation of geomorphological phenomena in a variety of settings and environments. The book includes: - An introduction to the processes which form geomorphological formations and how to map them. - Case studies from a variety of environments with many examples of geomorphological maps. - In-depth descriptions of the latest tools and methodologies such as field sampling, GPS usage, 3-4D mapping, GIS analysis, digital image analysis, etc. - A list of the geomorphological characteristics per environment (e.g. coastal, fluvial, etc.) in the format of a geomorphological encyclopaedia, with pictures, maps and symbols. It covers the entire workflow ranging from data collection, analysis, interpretation, and mapping. Acknowledgements All authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. John W.M. Peterson, School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, for corrections and improvement to the English text.. Universita Telematica Guglielmo Marconi (UTGM) and ENEA acknowledge the collaboration of CUTGANA (Centro Universitario per la Tutela e la Gestione degli Ambienti Naturali e degli Agroecosistemi), Universita di Catania, for the paper on "The Cyclops Islands". IRMCo acknowledges the use of the Integrated Land and Water Information System (ILWIS), developed by ITC, the Netherlands, for the management and assessment of geographic information in a GIS environment. ILWIS functionality was employed for the paper on "The natural heritage of the Island of Gozo" and the paper on "The geomorphological cave features of Ghar il-Friefet". IPB (Polytechnic Institute of Braganca) wishes to acknowledges all those colleagues, most of them also members of CIMO (Centre for Mountain Research), that contributed to the recently issued Management Plan of Montesinho Natural Park (PNM). Their hidden contribution to the articles concerning PNM is much acknowledged. A word in recognition of his endless and contagious enthusiasm towards Montesinho and to the Mountain domain, spread among us all in the IPB, is due to Professor Dionisio Goncalves, the first Director, Coordinator and President of PNM, CIMO and IPB, respectively. The authors of the photos inserted in the articles concerning Montesinho are also much acknowledged for their contribution.
The Earth's rocky mantle convects to lose heat, which comes from the liquid iron core below. The mantle's interfaces - the core-mantle boundary, and the lithosphere - may hold the key to understanding mantle motion because of the seismic anisotropy present in these parts of the Earth. In this thesis, Andy Nowacki presents a precise but comprehensive review of the current state of the art in studying flow with anisotropy, mineral physics and geodynamics. New measurements of shear wave anisotropy in the lowermost mantle and at mid-ocean ridges are used to constrain mechanisms of creep and melt extraction in the mantle. A model of global flow is used to predict anisotropy in the deep Earth, and novel methods to forward model shear wave splitting are described. Future studies of mantle flow must incorporate the understanding gained in this thesis. The thesis contains a substantive introduction to the structure of the Earth, seismic anisotropy in general and in the core-mantle boundary region, and mid-ocean ridge processes. It also describes novel methods for forward modelling and interpreting shear wave splitting data. Three chapters present timely research into dynamics at divergent plate boundaries and at the core-mantle boundary.
The thesis of Anna Alexandra Vackiner focuses on the geometric architecture and tectonic evolution of the Permian series, combining seismic interpretation (3D block), field studies in an analogue basin (Panamint Valley in California), as well as 2D restoration of representative cross sections through time in order to illustrate the complex interaction between multiphase extension, inversion and salt diapirism. It will be of major interest for exploration geologists involved in tectonically complex areas. - Francois Roure, August 2012 This thesis improves the understanding and localization of the Upper Rotliegend II tight gas reservoir rock facies. It provides insights into the detailed Upper Rotliegend II palaeo-topography and local tectonically induced sediment thickness changes prior to a multi-phase tectonic overprinting. The research presented in this study further focuses on the tectonically induced synsedimentary facies distribution in transtensional continental settings on the basis of a comparison with a modern field analogue, which enables a detailed analysis of the reservoir rock's distribution and its properties. The study is rounded off with an analysis of the influence of the multiphase tectonic overprinting on the mature Upper Rotliegend II reservoir rocks.
With a length of about 1200 km, the Son-Narmada-Tapti Lineament (NSL) is one of the most prominent geomorphic features in the Indian subcontinent. Anomalous conductive bodies are delineated at mid-lower crustal depths below major earthquake epicentral zones. The region has been interpreted as the collision zone of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. The NSL zone is therefore also known to be the second most important tectonic feature in the Indian geology, after the Himalayas. The present thesis describes significant new insight into the seismotectonics of this Central India tectonic zone, based on thorough magnetotelluric studies. The main objectives of the present study are: (i) to delineate subtrappean sediments across the NSL region along four different traverses, (ii) to understand the characterization of geo-electrical structure of the crust and examine the nature of geo-electrical signatures of the known faults, (iii) to integrate the results with other geophysical data such as seismicity, gravity and heat flow, in order to understand the tectonic scenario of the region. Deep electromagnetic (magnetotelluric) analyses were integrated in this study with gravity, seismic and heat flow studies and distinct, delineated deep crustal features. The resulting high conductivity is justified with the presence of fluids at mid-lower crustal depths. The migration of these fluids from mantle to mid-lower crustal depths through pre-existing brittle fracture/fault zones were obviously caused by the plume related to the Deccan volcanism. Migration of the fluids generated a higher fluid pressure along the faults and resulted in earthquakes. Based on the geo-electric sections derived along the four traverses of the Narmada-Son Lineament Zone, the present study gives important clues on the subduction/collision history in this important tectonic zone.
This book provides an integrated approach to the assessment of seismic hazards. The reduction of losses expected by future earthquakes is probably the most important contribution of seismology to society. Large earthquakes occurred in densely populated areas highlight the dramatic inadequacy of a massive portion of the buildings demonstrating the high risks of modern industrial societies. Building earthquake-resistant structures and retrofitting old buildings on a national scale can be extremely expensive and can represent an economic challenge even for developed western countries. Earthquakes can cause also several psychological problems due to the fact that such kind of disasters will result in casualties, collapsing of houses, strategic buildings and facilities and deeply affect a community. Moreover in our society it is necessary to properly plan emergency responses and rescues taking into account any possible secondary effect in order to avoid more casualties.
This book will broaden readers' understanding of pegmatites in a special geodynamic setting, dealing with the emplacement of the Hagendorf-Pleystein Pegmatite Province (HPPP) in the Central European Variscides. This treatise illustrates the complex processes leading to the formation and partial destruction of the pegmatites, documenting the geochronological, chemical, mineralogical, geological and geomorphological / sedimentological data set. The book starts with a detailed account of the economic geology of the various pegmatites, explaining why these deposits are a major resource of ceramic raw materials. In its concluding section, a model of the pegmatite evolution in an ensialic orogen provides meaningful insights into the genetic aspects of pegmatite generation. The Late Paleozoic rare-element pegmatites of the HPPP, Oberpfalz-SE, Germany, rank among the largest concentrations in Europe. The biggest pegmatite of this mining district totals 4.4 million tons of ore (Hagendorf-South). The mining history of the HPPP is restricted to the 20th century, when local entrepreneurs started mining operations in search of ceramic raw materials, feldspar and quartz. Today the "Silbergrube Aplite" is still worked for feldspar. The traditional mining of pegmatitic and aplitic rocks in Central Europe, such as the Bohemian Massif, which is shared by Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria, has been focused on these industrial minerals. In addition to these major commodities, lithium was mined for a period of time. But even today many of these pegmatites of calc-alkaline affiliation have not lost their appeal to mineralogists and mineral enthusiasts for their wealth of minerals that contain P, Nb, Ta, Li, Be, B, U, Th, Sc, Ti and Sn. The most favorable crustal section to bring about pegmatitic rocks of this type, encompassing pegmatoids, metapegmatites, reactivated pseudopegmatites and pegmatites sensu stricto is the ensialic orogen, exemplified by the Variscan (Hercynian) Orogen, which geodynamically connects the Paleozoic pegmatite provinces in North America and Europe. The geological history of the HPPP, however, goes much further than the Carboniferous-Permian magmatic activity, when the last structural disturbances of the Variscan orogeny affected the NE-Bavarian Basement between 450 and 330 Ma. During this time mafic magmatic rocks together with calcareous and arenaceous sediments were converted into paragneisses, calcsilicate rocks, and amphibolites. It is the period of time when tectonic shortening led to over thrusting and when the emplacement of nappes and the architectural elements of the ensialic orogen began taking shape. During the Late Permian, the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic, the HPPP did not lie idle in geological terms; hypogene and supergene alteration continued and found its most recent expression in alluvial-fluvial "nigrine" placer deposits, which resulted from the unroofing of the pegmatites and aplites in the HPPP and can be used even outside HPPP as an ore guide to pegmatites.
A complete and updated catalogue of impact craters and structures in South America from 2014 is presented here. Approximately eighty proven, suspected and disproven structures have been identified by several sources in this continent. All the impact sites of this large continent have been exhaustively reviewed: the proved ones, the possible ones and some very doubtful. Many sites remain without a clear geological "in situ" confirmation and some of them could be even rejected. Argentina and Brazil are leading the list containing almost everything detected. In Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela only a few were observed. Only Ecuador is waiting for new discoveries. So far, the largest well stated impact site is still the Araguainha structure in Brazil with its 40 kilometers in diameter. However, two possible impact structures are larger than Araguainha: Malvinas, (with 250 kilometers in diameter) and Vichada in Colombia, (50 kilometers). This study also reports the existence of some Tertiary-Quaternary glassy impactite layers: the "escorias" and "tierras cocidas" of the pampas in Argentina.
GeoBritannica concerns the geological legacy of Britain, an inheritance bequeathed by its bedrock to the peoples who have lived on the island for the eleven millennia since the final spasms of the last Ice Ages. The authors explain the geological diversity of the landscape and the raw materials that it provides. They show how these materials have been utilised by society and by individuals in creative acts of the imagination. The reader will discover how regional environments and resources have enabled and inspired endeavours as diverse as planning, mining, quarrying, architecture, literature and the visual arts.The authors provide a modern interpretation of the geological history of Britain and place this in its historic, social and artistic contexts. Why is geology so fascinating to us? How do geologists do their science? Why are the differing landscapes what, where and how they are? What is the nature of the geological foundations of the British landscapes? How have geological discoveries developed our understanding of the landscape of Britain over the past two hundred years? What is the geological context of the raw materials used in past and present industries and for historic and vernacular buildings? How have geological landscapes and materials influenced past and present architects, visual artists and writers?This is a book for those wanting to develop a better understanding of Britain and to develop their love and understanding of the island which we inhabit.
The Lakshadweep islands are a group of 36 coral islands in the Indian Ocean. These small islands are unique for their aquatic bio-diversity and vast blue lagoons. This book presents the results of studies done by the authors during the period 1990 to 2009 that address the beach morphology, hydrodynamics, energy resources and management options with special reference to the issue of both natural and anthropogenic coastal erosion. The relatively low island elevation makes the islands more susceptible to high-wave attack and coastal flooding during adverse weather conditions. The islands are also prone to risks from episodic events like cyclones and deep depressions. This highlights the need for a comprehensive study of the wave, climate and coastal processes at work during different seasons to delineate the factors responsible for shoreline changes and also to identify the locations that need protection and the management options. This book will serve as a guide to researchers, scholars and students who are interested in the coastal processes of coral islands.
In this book, the author describes in simple, non-technical terms the adventures he has experienced during his work as an earth scientist in some of the remote parts of the arid and semi-arid world. His aim in writing this concise account of some of the work he has been involved in over the past fifty years is to try to convey to the non-specialist some of the excitement and fun involved in fieldwork in the drier regions of the world. His studies of the soils, landforms and the recent geological history of arid and semi-arid regions have taken Martin Williams to some remarkable places in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Not only are the landscapes themselves often stunningly beautiful, but the contact with people from quite different backgrounds and cultures has been an enriching experience. His work has taken him to places far off the beaten track, whether it be the rugged mountains of Ethiopia and northern China, the sandy deserts of the Sahara and Rajasthan, or the great river valleys of Somalia, central India and the Nile. The chapters that follow are not intended to form a coherent chronological narrative, although they do appear in rough chronological order. They should rather be viewed as vignettes or brief evocative descriptions, much as in the discursive tradition of the wandering Irish storytellers. Acting on the principle that it is not necessary to be solemn to be serious, the author aims to entertain as well as to instruct.
This is the first book to investigate the structure, origin and
evolution of carbonate mud-mounds. Mud-mounds are accumulations of
biogenic carbonate sediment that are common in the geological
record, and economically important as they host lead zinc
mineralization and oil and gas. The book reviews, for the first
time, the different mechanisms of mud-mound formation and examines
in detail the major changes in mud-mound type and occurrence
through geological time. The major part of the book contains case
studies of mud-mounds from the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic.
The coverage is global and truly international, with 32 authors
from 10 countries. If you are a member of the International Association of Sedimentologists, for purchasing details, please see: http: //www.iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=SP23
The contributors look at universalizing discourses concerning young children across the globe, which purport to describe everyone in a scientific and neutral way, but actually create mechanisms through which children are divided and excluded. The contributors to this book employ post-structuralist, postcolonial, and feminist theoretical frameworks.
At the beginning for the new millennium, higher education is under siege. No longer viewed as a public good, higher education increasingly is besieged by corporate, right-wing and conservative ideologies that want to decouple higher education from its legacy of educating students to be critical and autonomous citizens, imbued with democratic and public values. The greatest danger faced by higher education comes from the focus of global neo-liberalism and the return of educational apartheid. Through the power of racial backlash, the war on youth, deregulation, commercialism, and privatization, neo-liberalism wages a vicious assault on all of those public spheres and goods not controlled by the logic of market relations and profit margins. Take Back Higher Education argues that if higher education is going to meet the challenges of a democratic future, it will have to confront neo-liberalism, racism, and the shredding of the social contract.
An exploration of international privatization of higher education in post-communist Europe from two top scholars in the field. Levy and Slantcheva trace the ramifications of globalization in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the former Soviet republics.
Born in Hungary, the geologist Angelo Heilprin (1853-1907) moved with his family to the United States as a boy. He later left New York to study natural sciences in distinguished European institutions, and went on to hold academic positions in Philadelphia and ultimately at Yale. His teaching duties were interspersed with expeditions to Yucatan, Greenland and other places of geological interest. This 1904 study, complemented by unique photographs, depicts his third visit to the island of Martinique in the aftermath of the devastating eruptions of Mount Pelee in 1902. Heilprin documents the temporary formation of Pelee's 'tower', a monolith of lava that grew rapidly after the eruptions, reaching a height of 300 metres before its collapse. Heilprin also summarises the chief features of volcanic eruptions and directs readers to his 1903 publication Mont Pelee and the Tragedy of Martinique (also reissued in this series) for further information.
Public Universities and the Public Sphere argues that two crises facing America - a crisis of public discourse and a crisis of public higher education - are closely connected. Part of the solution, Smith argues in this timely work, to both crises lies in understanding and building on the connection.
Coming of Age in Times of Crisis is an anthropological study of the intersecting roles of gender and schooling in the lives of rural Venezuelan youth as they make the transition to adulthood during times of national political and economic crisis. Strongly grounded in local detail while speaking to larger comparative issues and the crises that surround globalization, the study enables us to see how gender roles and social class are reproduced in a culture experiencing profound upheaval, and to see how rural Venezuelans have managed to reproduce and change their culture in these circumstances. This book is based on two-and-a-half years of ethnographic field research Hurtig conducted in the Andean region of Venezuela between 1991 and 1993, and again briefly in 1996.
This edited volume, showcasing cutting-edge research, addresses two primary questions - what are the main drivers of change in high-mountains and what are the risks implied by these changes? From a physical perspective, it examines the complex interplay between climate and the high-mountain cryosphere, with further chapters covering tectonics, volcano-ice interactions, hydrology, slope stability, erosion, ecosystems, and glacier- and snow-related hazards. Societal dimensions, both global and local, of high-mountain cryospheric change are also explored. The book offers unique perspectives on high-mountain cultures, livelihoods, governance and natural resources management, focusing on how global change influences societies and how people respond to climate-induced cryospheric changes. An invaluable reference for researchers and professionals in cryospheric science, geomorphology, climatology, environmental studies and human geography, this volume will also be of interest to practitioners working in global change and risk, including NGOs and policy advisors.
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.
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