Few scientists doubt the prediction that the antropogenic release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will lead to some warming of the earth's climate. So there is good reason to investigate the possible effects of such a warming, in dependence of geographical and social economic setting. Many bodies, governmental or not, have organized meetings and issued reports in which the carbon dioxide problem is defined, reviewed, and possible threats assessed. The rate at which such reports are produced still increases. However, while more and more people are getting involved in the 'carbon dioxide business', the number of investigators working on the basic problems grows, in our view, too slowly. Many fundamental questions are still not answered in a satisfactory way, and the carbon dioxide building rests on a few thin pillars. One such fundamental question concerns the change in sea level associated with a climatic warming of a few degrees. A number of processes can be listed that could all lead to changes of the order of tens of centimeters (e. g. thermal expansion, change in mass balance of glaciers and ice sheets). But the picture of the carbon dioxide problem has frequently be made more dramatic by suggesting that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is unstable, implying a certain probability of a 5 m higher sea-level stand within a few centuries."

The enormous progress over the last decades in our understanding of the mechanisms behind the complex system "Earth" is to a large extent based on the availability of enlarged data sets and sophisticated methods for their analysis. Univariate as well as multivariate time series are a particular class of such data which are of special importance for studying the dynamical p- cesses in complex systems. Time series analysis theory and applications in geo- and astrophysics have always been mutually stimulating, starting with classical (linear) problems like the proper estimation of power spectra, which hasbeenputforwardbyUdnyYule(studyingthefeaturesofsunspotactivity) and, later, by John Tukey. In the second half of the 20th century, more and more evidence has been accumulated that most processes in nature are intrinsically non-linear and thus cannot be su?ciently studied by linear statistical methods. With mat- matical developments in the ?elds of dynamic system's theory, exempli?ed by Edward Lorenz's pioneering work, and fractal theory, starting with the early fractal concepts inferred by Harold Edwin Hurst from the analysis of geoph- ical time series, nonlinear methods became available for time seriesanalysis as well. Over the last decades, these methods have attracted an increasing int- est in various branches of the earth sciences. The world's leading associations of geoscientists, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the European Geosciences Union (EGU) have reacted to these trends with the formation of special nonlinear focus groups and topical sections, which are actively present at the corresponding annual assemblies.

Human activities have dramatically changed the composition and organisation of soils. Industrial and urban wastes, agricultural application and also mining activities resulted in an increased concentration of heavy metals in soils. How plants and soil microorganisms cope with this situation and the sophisticated techniques developed for survival in contaminated soils is discussed in this volume.

The topics presented include: the general role of heavy metals in biological soil systems; the relation of inorganic and organic pollutions; heavy metal, salt tolerance and combined effects with salinity; effects on abuscular mycorrhizal and on saprophytic soil fungi; heavy metal resistance by streptomycetes; trace element determination of environmental samples; the use of microbiological communities as indicators; phytostabilization of lead polluted sites by native plants; effects of soil earthworms on removal of heavy metals and the remediation of heavy metal contaminated tropical land.

This book presents recent lessons learned in the context of research and development for various dryland ecosystems, focusing on water resources management, land and vegetation cover degradation and remediation, and socioeconomic aspects, as well as integrated approaches to ensuring water and land security in view of the current and predicted climate change. As water and land are the essential bases of food production, the management of these natural resources is becoming a cornerstone for the development of dryland populations. The book gathers the peer-reviewed, revised versions of the most outstanding papers on these topics presented at the ILDAC2015 Conference in Djerba, Tunisia.

A comprehensive book on basic processes of soil C dynamics and the underlying factors and causes which determine the technical and economic potential of soil C sequestration. The book provides information on the dynamics of both inorganic (lithogenic and pedogenic carbonates) and organic C (labile, intermediate and passive). It describes different types of agroecosystems, and lists questions at the end of each chapter to stimulate thinking and promote academic dialogue. Each chapter has a bibliography containing up-to-date references on the current research, and provides the state-of-the-knowledge while also identifying the knowledge gaps for future research. The critical need for restoring C stocks in world soils is discussed in terms of provisioning of essential ecosystem services (food security, carbon sequestration, water quality and renewability, and biodiversity). It is of interest to students, scientists, and policy makers.

The purpose and scope of this book on theoretical glaciology is outlined in the Introduction. Its aim is to study the theoretical aspects of'ice mechanics' and the 'dynamics of ice masses in a geophysical environment. For the mature reader, the book can serve as an introduction to glaciology. How ever, this is not what I would regard as advisible. Glaciology is an inter disciplinary science in which many special scientific disciplines play their part, from descriptive geography to fairly abstract mathematics. Advance ment will evolve from a merger of two or more branches of scientific specialization. In the last 20 years, several researchers in different fields of glaciology have written books emphasizing the aspects of their specialities and I have listed some which are known to me at the end of the Introduction. When glancing through these books, one recognizes that the mathematical aspects of glaciology are generally glossed over and, to date, there seems to be nothing available which concentrates on these. Therefore, I have written this book in an effort to close the gap and no apologies are offered for the mathematical emphasis. Rather, I believe that this neglect has, to a certain extent, aggra vated progress in the modelling of glaciology problems."

TECTONlCS AND PHYSICS Geology, although rooted in the laws of physics, rarely has been taught in a manner designed to stress the relations between the laws and theorems of physics and the postulates of geology. The same is true of geophysics, whose specialties (seismology, gravimetIy, magnetics, magnetotellurics) deal only with the laws that govern them, and not with those that govern geology's postulates. The branch of geology and geophysics called tectonophysics is not a formalized discipline or subdiscipline, and, therefore, has no formal laws or theorems of its own. Although many recent books claim to be textbooks in tectonophysics, they are not; they are books designed to explain one hypothesis, just as the present book is designed to explain one hypothesis. The textbook that comes closest to being a textbook of tectonophysics is Peter 1. Wyllie's (1971) book, The Dynamic Earth. Teachers, students, and practitioners of geology since the very beginning of earth science teaching have avoided the development of a rigorous (but not rigid) scientific approach to tectonics, largely because we earth scientists have not fully understood the origin of the features with which we are dealing. This fact is not at all surprising when one considers that the database for hypotheses and theories of tectonics, particularly before 1960, has been limited to a small part of the exposed land area on the Earth's surface."

In the course of a decade's work on the mountains of East Africa, I met some of the most wonderful people on Earth. It is impossible to record all those who have helped me in this study in one way or other. Glacier research in East Africa has some history. Nearly half a century ago, Carl Troll completed the first detailed mapping of Lewis Glacier. I had the good fortune of exchanging ideas with him at his home in Bonn in 1974, shortly before his death. Paul C. Spink, Ulceby, North lincolnshire, England, shared with me his photographs and observations on Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya in the 1940s. When I joined the University of Nairobi in 1973, several members of the 1957-58 IGY Mc)Unt Kenya :Expedition were still there. I received generous advice and help from Igor Loupekine, John Loxton, but especially from Robert A. Caukwell and Frank Charnley. Their continuous coopera- tion was a great encouragement over the years. Heinz Loeffler, University of Vienna, informed me about the depth of Lewis Tarn. Helmut Heuberger, University of Munich, provided me data on his measurements of glacier terminus positions. Peter Gollmer of Geosurveys and Alan Root, Nairobi, gave me aerial photographs of Kibo f~om the early 1970s. I acknowledge support from various other colleagues at the University of Nairobi: Raouf Rostom of the Department of Surveying and Photogrammetry; Neville Skinner of the Department of Physics; G. C. Asnani, John Ng'anga, J. K.

This is the first book to cover actinide nano research. It is of interest both for fundamental research into the chemistry and physics of f-block elements as well as for applied researchers such as those studying the long-term safety of nuclear waste disposal and developing remediation strategies.

The authors cover important issues of the formation of actinide nano-particles, their properties and structure, environmental behavior of colloids and nanoparticles related to the safe disposal of nuclear wastes, modeling and advanced methods of characterization at the nano-scale.

This book presents review papers and research articles focusing on the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China, discussing cross-disciplinary and multiple thematic aspects of modern seismological, geophysical, geological and stochastic methodology and technology. Resulting from international and regional earthquake research and disaster mitigation collaborations, and written by international authors from multiple institutions and disciplines, it describes methods and techniques in earthquake science based on investigations of the Wenchuan earthquake. It also includes extensive reference lists to aid further research. The book helps both senior researchers and graduate students in earthquake science to broaden their horizons in data analysis, numerical modeling and structural retrieval for the tectonic, geological, geophysical and mechanical interpretation of the 2008 M8 Wenchuan earthquake to support a global and regional cooperation for preparedness, and the mitigation and management of seismic risk.

Grain legume crops, e.g. common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and soyabeans (Glycine max L.) are amongst the main sources of protein in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their high protein content derive from their ability, in symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria, to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Incorporating contributions from molecular biologists, microbiologists, plant breeders and soil scientists, this volume reports the results of an FAO/IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme (1992-1996), whose main objective was to develop molecular biological methods to study rhizobial ecology. Use of better tracking methods will help enhance biological nitrogen fixation and thus grain legume yields, while reducing their reliance on soil- and/or fertilizer-nitrogen. This volume will be invaluable to scientists working on biological nitrogen fixation, soil microbial ecology and legume production.

The book reveals the changing dynamics of the helium industry on both the supply-side and the demand-side. The helium industry has a long-term future and this important gas will have a role to play for many decades to come. Major new users of helium are expected to enter the market, especially in nuclear energy (both fission and fusion). Prices and volumes supplied and expected to rise and this will prompt greater efforts towards the development of new helium sources and helium conservation and recycling.

This book presents an overview of volcanic debris avalanche deposits, which are produced by partial volcanic edifice collapse, a catastrophic natural phenomenon. It has been 40 years since the volcanic debris avalanche associated with the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, and our understanding of these events has grown considerably in the interim. Drawing on these advances, the book addresses all aspects of volcanic debris avalanches. Though previously overlooked in field-based geological and volcanological studies, these deposits are now known to be associated with most volcanoes and volcanic areas around the world. The book presents state-of-the-art ideas on the triggering and emplacement mechanisms of these events, supported by field and analogue studies, as well as new simulations tools and models used to determine their physical characteristic and hazards.

Digital soil assessments and beyond contains papers presented at the 5th Global Workshop on Digital Soil Mapping, held 10-13 April 2012 at the University of Sydney, Australia. The contributions demonstrate the latest developments in digital soil mapping as a discipline with a special focus on the use of map products to drive policy decisions particularly on climate change and food, water and soil security. The workshop and now this resulting publication have better united formerly disparate subdisciplines in soil science: pedology (study of the formation, distribution and potential use of soils) and pedometrics (quantitative and statistical analysis of soil variation in space and time). This book compiles papers covering a range of topics: digital soil assessment, digital soil modelling, operational soil mapping, soil and environmental covariates, soil sampling and monitoring and soil information modelling, artificial intelligence and cyber-infrastructure, and GlobalSoilMap. Digital soil assessments and beyond aims to encourage new mapping incentives and stimulate new ideas to make digital soil mapping practicable from local to national and ultimately global scales.

From Fossils to Astrobiology reviews developments in paleontology and geobiology that relate to the rapidly-developing field of Astrobiology, the study of life in the Universe. Many traditional areas of scientific study, including astronomy, chemistry and planetary science, contribute to Astrobiology, but the study of the record of life on planet Earth is critical in guiding investigations in the rest of the cosmos. In this varied book, expert scientists from 15 countries present peer-reviewed, stimulating reviews of paleontological and astrobiological studies. The overviews of established and emerging techniques for studying modern and ancient microorganisms on Earth and beyond, will be valuable guides to evaluating biosignatures which could be found in the extraterrestrial surface or subsurface within the Solar System and beyond. This volume also provides discussion on the controversial reports of "nanobacteria" in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. It is a unique volume among Astrobiology monographs in focusing on fossil evidence from the geological record and will be valuable to students and researchers alike.

The dissolution of the communist system led to the creation of new states and the formation of new concepts of citizenship in the post-Soviet states of Central and Eastern Europe. The formation of national identity also occurred in the context of the process of increasing economic and political globalisation, particularly the widening of the European Union to include the central European post-socialist and Baltic States. Internationally, Russia sought to establish a new identity either as a European or as a Eurasian society and had to accommodate the interests of a wider Russian Diaspora in the 'near abroad'. This book addresses how domestic elites (regional, political and economic) influenced the formation of national identities and the ways in which citizenship has been defined. A second component considers the external dimensions: the ways in which foreign elites influenced either directly or indirectly the concept of identity and the interaction with internal elites. The essays consider the role of the European Union in attempting to form a European identity. Moreover, the growing internationalisation of economies (privatisation, monetary harmonisation, dependence on trade) also had effects on the kind of 'national identity' sought by the new nation states as well as the defining by them of 'the other'. The collection focuses on the interrelations between social identity, state and citizenship formation, and the role of elites in defining the content of concepts in different post-communist societies. This book was originally published as a special issue of Europe-Asia Studies.

This book covers the basics of abiotic colloid characterization, of biocolloids and biofilms, the resulting transport phenomena and their engineering aspects. The contributors comprise an international group of leading specialists devoted to colloidal sciences. The contributions include theoretical considerations, results from model experiments, and field studies. The information provided here will benefit students and scientists interested in the analytical, chemical, microbiological, geological and hydrological aspects of material transport in aquatic systems and soils.

The origin of the Moon remains an unsolved problem of the planetary science. Researchers engaged in celestial dynamics, geophysics, and geochemistry are still discussing various models of creation of our closest cosmic neighbour. The most popular scenario, the impact hypothesis involving a collision early in the Earth's history, has been substantially challenged by the new data. The birth and development of a planet-moon system always plays a role in the formation of an entire planetary system around our Sun or around another star. This way, the story of our Moon acquires broader ramifications for one of the hottest topics of the modern scholarship. All this has motivated the authors of this book to consider a new concept and to compare the currently discussed theories, analyzing their advantages and shortcomings in explaining the experimental data.

Convective heat tranfer is the result of fluid flowing between objects of different temperatures. Thus it may be the objective of a process (as in refrigeration) or it may be an incidental aspect of other processes. This monograph reviews in a concise and unified manner recent contributions to the principles of convective heat transfer for single- and multi-phase systems: It summarizes the role of the fundamental mechanism, discusses the governing differential equations, describes approximation schemes and phenomenological models, and examines their solutions and applications. After a review of the basic physics and thermodynamics, the book divides the subject into three parts. Part 1 deals with single-medium transfer, specifically with intraphase transfers in single-phase flows and with intramedium transfers in two-phase flows. Part 2 deals with fluid-solid transfer processes, both in cases where the interface is small and in cases where it is large, as well as liquid-liquid transfer processes. Part 3 considers three media, addressing both liquid-solid-solid and gas-liquid-solid systems.

This book focuses on the development of DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) and the related techniques for measuring and investigating the geochemical process and P transfer across the sediment/water or sediment/root interface in lakes. A series of DGT techniques such as new types of probes, test methods in sediment or the rhizosphere, DIFS (DGT induced fluxes in sediments and soils) model for kinetic P exchange, CID (computer imaging densitometry) for S(-II), and microchelex gel/LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) have been developed. The corresponding chapters on the theory and methodology of DGT, the "internal P loading" or P transfer across sediment/root in two lakes, provide insights into the research method and conclusions, including the P release mechanism, the quantification of "internal P loading", kinetic P exchange in DGT/sediment interface, Fe- or S(-II)-microniches at submillimeter scales in sediments for the prediction of P release, and DGT as a surrogate for the prediction of P uptake by roots. It also offers new perspectives in the fields of P analysis and P process in micro-interfaces in lakes using DGT techniques. The P remobilization from Fe-bound P, the coupled Fe-S(-II)-P geochemical reaction and algae biomass breakdown causing P release, are elucidated using DGT methods in sediment layers. DGT parameters and curves for time or distance derived from DIFS can be used to assess kinetic P release in the sediment microzone. CID and LA-ICP-MS methods deliver Fe- and S(-II) images at submillimeter scales, which can be used for the quantification of flux related to microniche peaks and the prediction of P release from Fe-microniche or Fe-S(-II)-P geochemical reactions. DGT measurements in-situ in rhizosphere or rhizonbox can give CE (effective concentration) and CDGT values for the prediction of P accumulated in plant tissues. This book provides a valuable reference resource for senior graduate students, lecturers and researchers in the fields of the geochemical process of eutrophic elements in lakes, lake eutrophication mechanism and environmental analysis.

Natural and Laboratory-Simulated Thermal Geochemical Processes compares a series of thermal natural geochemical events with thermally laboratory-simulated processes. The emphasis is on the geothermal events occurring in nature compared with those simulated in the laboratory, thus furnishing important information at the molecular level for such processes. The book covers the following topics:

-Generation of petroleum and its thermal cracking;
-Pyrolysis of oil-shales;
-Formation of coal and its gasification and liquification;
-Thermal liquification of biomass;
-Geothermal energy;
-Thermal generation of fullerenes;
-Thermal formation of diamonds;
-Thermal analysis of organo-clay complexes;
-Geochemical conditions for life emergence.

This book presents a new approach to heritage, linking it to territory and sustainable development. This new approach entails a broader, integrated view of heritage values on the one hand, and on the other a shift in emphasis from their protection to their valorisation. In short, it provides a view of the joint workings of natural and cultural resources, and, as a consequence, moving away from a protection point of view in favour of a perspective on their suitable sustainable valorisation. In the viewpoint taken here, sustainability is understood as the balance and long-term preservation and enhancement of such natural and cultural resources and processes in a given territory. Territorial Heritage and Development includes contributions from different disciplines (geography, architecture, planning, sociology, environmental studies and archaeology) and case studies drawn from three continents, broaching both analytical and conceptual developments, and a range of initiatives for engaging in territorial heritage as an instrument of sustainable development. The book takes a pioneering and relevant approach to the breadth and complexity of the issue which can be valuable to academics and policy-makers in Geography, Architecture, Planning and Sociology.

This book explores the theory of ecogeomorphic pattern-process linkages, using case studies from Europe, Africa, Australia and North America. Sets forth a research agenda for the emerging field of ecogeomorphology in drylands land-degradation studies.

This book explores the nexus among food, energy and water in peri-urban areas, demonstrating how relevant this nexus is for environmental sustainability. In particular it examines the effective management of the nexus in the face of the risks and trade-offs of mitigation policies, and as a mean to create resilience to climate change. The book delineates strategies and actions necessary to develop and protect our natural resources and improve the functionality of the nexus, such as: integrated management of the major resources that characterize the metabolism of a city, stronger coordination among stakeholders who often weight differently the services that are relevant to their individual concerns, integration of efforts towards environmental protection, adaptation to and prevention of climate change and disaster risks mitigation.