This book collects and summarizes current scientific knowledge concerning coal-mined landscapes of the Appalachian region in eastern United States. Containing contributions from authors across disciplines, the book addresses topics relevant to the region's coal-mining history and its future; its human communities; and the soils, waters, plants, wildlife, and human-use potentials of Appalachia's coal-mined landscapes. The book provides a comprehensive overview of coal mining's legacy in Appalachia, USA. It book describes the resources of the Appalachian coalfield, its lands and waters, and its human communities - as they have been left in the aftermath of intensive mining, drawing upon peer-reviewed science and other regional data to provide clear and objective descriptions. By understanding the Appalachian experience, officials and planners in other resource extraction- affected world regions can gain knowledge and perspectives that will aid their own efforts to plan and manage for environmental quality and for human welfare. Appalachia's Coal-Mined Landscapes: Resources and Communities in a New Energy Era will be of use to natural resource managers and scientists within Appalachia and in other world regions experiencing widespread mining, researchers with interest in the region's disturbance legacy, and economic and community planners concerned with Appalachia's future.

This Ph.D. thesis attempts to decipher the closure of the Palaeozoic Palaeo-Asian Ocean along the enigmatic Solonker Suture in East Asia adopting a methodology that integrates geochemical and geochronological data from Palaeozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks in the region. It provides an in-detail but also broad insight into the Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the region, not only pin-pointing the debated location of the Solonker Suture but also the timing of final disappearance of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean during Permian to Early Triassic times. The results have led to propose a tectonic 'soft-collision' model for the amalgamation of the North China Craton and the Mongolian Terranes in northern Asia explaining the general absence of geologic features characteristic for continent-continent collisions such as the occurrence of regional-scale high-grade metamorphic rocks, ophiolite belts and fold-thrust structures. This new model may serve as a blueprint for the tectonic evolution of similar suture zones that are characterized by the absence of typical collision related lithologies and structures. The thesis is particularly useful as a guide for researchers who seek an in-depth understanding of the Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of northern China and Central Asia along the Solonker Suture.

This volume gathers the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of geographic information systems and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, as presented by leading researchers and engineers at the 1st International Conference on Unmanned Aerial System in Geomatics (UASG), held in Roorkee, India on April 6-7, 2019. It covers highly diverse topics, including photogrammetry and remote sensing, surveying, UAV manufacturing, geospatial data sensing, UAV processing, visualization, and management, UAV applications and regulations, geo-informatics and geomatics. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different specialists.

This book summarizes the latest research on the structural geology of the mobile belts of the Indian subcontinent including the Himalayas, NE Himalayas, Bangladesh thrust belt, Andaman subduction zone, the Aravalli-Delhi, the Central India Tectonic Zone, the Singhbhum, the Eastern Ghats and the Southern granulite terrane. It offers essential information on deformational structures in the mobile belt, such as folding patterns, the character of the shear zone, shear strain analysis, and faults, as well as fault zone rocks. The findings presented here are based on field observations, mapping, sampling and analysis work (e.g. petrographic studies), as well as limited geochemical and geochronological analysis to support the findings. A discussion on the structural evolution of these mobile belts and their connections with other belts rounds out the coverage.

This book summarizes the research being pursued as part of the Erasmus+ CBHE KA2 project entitled "Development of master curricula for natural disasters risk management in Western Balkan countries" (NatRisk), which aims to educate experts on the prevention and management of natural disasters in the Western Balkan region in line with national and EU policies. The project has successfully developed and implemented master curricula and educational training in the field of natural disasters risk management, and a methodology for the identification and prevention of natural disasters. Consisting of 11 chapters, the book analyzes and discusses topics such as risk assessment tools and quality methods, the different approaches for civil-military collaboration, natural disasters risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina, leadership models for managing crises resulting from natural disasters, natural disasters in industrial areas, natural risk management in geotechnics, flood risk modeling, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference models for flood prediction, collapse prediction of masonry arches, an algorithm for fire truck dispatch in emergency situations, and processing drought data in a GIS environment.

All sub disciplines in Organic Geochemistry (Petroleum Geochemistry, Environmental Geochemistry etc.) are linked by the basic analytical approaches used for identification and quantitation of individual organic substances. Hence, a fundamental prerequisite for organic geochemists is the knowledge not only about the individual analytical techniques but more about their potential as well as their limitations. In this issues basic analytical procedures and techniques are introduced comprising fundamental steps like sampling and sample storage, aspects of sample treatment like extraction and fractionation procedures and finally the specific techniques used for organic analyses on partially very low concentration levels such as mass spectrometry or infrared spectroscopy. Beside the technical aspects also application on organic-geochemical problems and the standard data evaluation practice is introduced. Finally, special chapters point to analytical pitfalls and to principal standard operation procedures. The intention of this issue is to get the readers familiar with analytical Organic Geochemistry and to enable them to assess the quality and suitability of specific analytical approaches, in particular with respect to the organic-geochemical problems.

The advent of accessible student computing packages has meant that geophysics students can now easily manipulate datasets and gain first-hand modeling experience - essential in developing an intuitive understanding of the physics of the Earth. Yet to gain a more in-depth understanding of physical theory, and to develop new models and solutions, it is necessary to be able to derive the relevant equations from first principles. This compact, handy book fills a gap left by most modern geophysics textbooks, which generally do not have space to derive all of the important formulae, showing the intermediate steps. This guide presents full derivations for the classical equations of gravitation, gravity, tides, earth rotation, heat, geomagnetism and foundational seismology, illustrated with simple schematic diagrams. It supports students through the successive steps and explains the logical sequence of a derivation - facilitating self-study and helping students to tackle homework exercises and prepare for exams.

This book comprises select proceedings of the annual conference of the Indian Geotechnical Society. The conference brings together research and case histories on various aspects of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. The book presents papers on geotechnical applications and case histories, covering topics such as (i) Characterization of Geomaterials and Physical Modelling; (ii) Foundations and Deep Excavations; (iii) Soil Stabilization and Ground Improvement; (iv) Geoenvironmental Engineering and Waste Material Utilization; (v) Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering; (vi) Earth Retaining Structures, Dams and Embankments; (vii) Slope Stability and Landslides; (viii) Transportation Geotechnics; (ix) Geosynthetics Applications; (x) Computational, Analytical and Numerical Modelling; (xi) Rock Engineering, Tunnelling and Underground Constructions; (xii) Forensic Geotechnical Engineering and Case Studies; and (xiii) Others Topics: Behaviour of Unsaturated Soils, Offshore and Marine Geotechnics, Remote Sensing and GIS, Field Investigations, Instrumentation and Monitoring, Retrofitting of Geotechnical Structures, Reliability in Geotechnical Engineering, Geotechnical Education, Codes and Standards, and other relevant topics. The contents of this book are of interest to researchers and practicing engineers alike.

This book offers essential, systematic information on the assessment of the spatial association between two processes from a statistical standpoint. Divided into eight chapters, the book begins with preliminary concepts, mainly concerning spatial statistics. The following seven chapters focus on the methodologies needed to assess the correlation between two or more processes; from theory introduced 35 years ago, to techniques that have only recently been published. Furthermore, each chapter contains a section on R computations to explore how the methodology works with real data. References and a list of exercises are included at the end of each chapter. The assessment of the correlation between two spatial processes has been tackled from several different perspectives in a variety of applications fields. In particular, the problem of testing for the existence of spatial association between two georeferenced variables is relevant for posterior modeling and inference. One evident application in this context is the quantification of the spatial correlation between two images (processes defined on a rectangular grid in a two-dimensional space). From a statistical perspective, this problem can be handled via hypothesis testing, or by using extensions of the correlation coefficient. In an image-processing framework, these extensions can also be used to define similarity indices between images.

The book summarizes the results of the experimental studies of phase relations in the chemical systems relevant to Earth, carried out by the author in a time period of over 20 years between 1979 and 2001. It is based on 1000 piston-cylinder experiments at pressures up to 4 GPa, and close to 700 experiments carried out with a multi-anvil apparatus at pressures up to 24 GPA. This is the largest published collection of calculated phase diagrams for the chemical systems relevant to Earth. This is also the first time that the phase relations at the relatively low pressures of the lithospheric mantle, mainly applicable to the experimental thermobarometry of metamorphic rocks and mantle xenoliths, are seamlessly integrated with the phase relations of the sublithospheric upper mantle and the uppermost lower mantle, primarily applicable to inclusions in diamond and schocked meteorites. "Tibor Gasparik has devoted his career to determining the high-pressure, high-temperature phase relations of the geologically important Sodium-Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminium-Silicon (NCMAS) oxide system. This book is his opus magnum, summarizing more than 1700 experiments in over 120 figures. ... I have found Phase Diagrams for Geoscientists to be a useful first port-of-call for finding the P-T stability fields ... and I can recommend the book as a reference for geoscientists requiring an overview of the stable phase assemblages in the top 700 km of the Earth." (David Dobson, Geological Magazine, Vol. 142 (2), 2005)

This volume presents select papers presented during the Second International Conference on Waste Management held at IIT Guwahati. The book comprises of eight sections, and deals with various technologies associated with curbing of different environmental issues as well as management and legislative policies associated with them. This book will be of interest to various researchers, students, policy makers and people who pursue keen interest in the waste management techniques and policies.

Volcanoes have terrified and, at the same time, fascinated civilizations for thousands of years. Many aspects of volcanoes, most notably the eruptive processes and the compositional variations of magma, have been widely investigated for several decades and today constitute the core of any volcanology textbook. Nevertheless, in the last two decades, boosted by the availability of volcano monitoring data, there has been an increasing interest in the pre-eruptive processes related to the shallow accumulation and to the transfer of magma approaching the surface, as well as in the resulting structure of volcanoes. These are innovative and essential aspects of modern volcanology and, as driving volcanic unrest, their understanding also improves hazard assessment and eruption forecasting. So far, the significant progress made in unravelling these volcano-tectonic processes has not been supported by a comprehensive overview. This monograph aims at filling this gap, describing the pre-eruptive processes related to the structure, deformation and tectonics of volcanoes, at the local and regional scale, in any tectonic setting. The monograph is organized into three sections ("Fundamentals", "Magma migration towards the surface" and "The regional perspective"), consisting of thirteen chapters that are lavishly illustrated. The reader is accompanied in a journey within the volcano factory, discovering the processes associated with the shallow accumulation of magma and its transfer towards the surface, how these control the structure of volcanoes and their activity and, ultimately, improve our ability to estimate hazard and forecast eruption. The potential readership includes any academic, researcher and upper undergraduate student interested in volcanology, magma intrusions, structural geology, tectonics, geodesy, as well as geology and geophysics in general.

Several nano-scale devices have emerged that are capable of analysing plant diseases, nutrient deficiencies and any other ailments that may affect food security in agro-ecosystems. It has been envisioned that smart delivery systems can be developed and utilised for better management of agricultural ecosystems. These systems could exhibit beneficial, multi-functional characteristics, which could be used to assess and also control habitat-imposed stresses to crops. Nanoparticle-mediated smart delivery systems can control the delivery of nutrients or bioactive and/or pesticide molecules in plants. It has been suggested that nano-particles in plants might help determine their nutrient status and could also be used as cures in agro-ecosystems. Further, to enhance soil and crop productivity, nanotechnology has been used to create and deliver nano fertilizers, which can be defined as nano-particles that directly help supply nutrients for plant growth and soil productivity. Nano-particles can be absorbed onto clay networks, leading to improved soil health and more efficient nutrient use by crops. Additionally, fertilizer particles can be coated with nano-particles that facilitate slow and steady release of nutrients, reducing loss of nutrients and enhancing their efficiency in agri-crops. Although the use of nanotechnology in agro-ecosystems is still in its early stages and needs to be developed further, nano-particle-mediated delivery systems are promising solutions for the successful management of agri-ecosystems. In this context, the book offers insights into nanotechnology in agro-ecosystems with reference to biogenic nanoparticles. It highlights the: * occurrence and diversity of Biogenic Nanoparticles * mechanistic approach involved in the synthesis of biogenic nanoparticles * synthesis of nanoparticles using photo-activation, and their fate in the soil ecosystem * potential applications of nanoparticles in agricultural systems * application and biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their characterization * impact of biogenic nanoparticles on biotic stress to plants * mechanistic approaches involved in the antimicrobial effects and cytotoxicity of biogenic nanoparticles * role of biogenic nanoparticles in plant diseases management * relevance of biological synthesized nanoparticles in the longevity of agricultural crops * design and synthesis of nano-biosensors for monitoring pollutants in water, soil and plant systems * applications of nanotechnology in agriculture with special refer to soil, water and plant sciences A useful resource for postgraduate and research students in the field of plant and agricultural sciences, it is also of interest to researchers working in nano and biotechnology.

* An accessible resource, covering the fundamentals of carbonate reservoir engineering
* Includes discussions on how, where and why carbonate are formed, plus reviews of basic sedimentological and stratigraphic principles to explain carbonate platform characteristics and stratigraphic relationships
* Offers a new, genetic classification of carbonate porosity that is especially useful in predicting spatial distribution of pore networks.
* Includes a solution manual

This book focuses on geochemical behavior and ancient records of the specific biomarker levoglucosan in Tibetan glaciers, Based on samples from the Zangsegangri (ZSGR) ice cores obtained from the central Tibetan Plateau, it presents annually resolved levoglucosan records and fire changes over the past 430 years. It also discusses the interaction between fire, climate change, and human activities. This is the first effort to reconstruct annual resolution fire records in Tibetan ice, providing crucial information and substantially improved analytical methods toward a better understanding of past fire changes.

This book analyses the theoretical and methodological foundations of ecotourism and geotourism and examines the essence, content, factors, and models of ecotourism development. The authors conducted research to assess the tourist and recreational potential of ecotourism in Kazakhstan. The study analyses the current state and describes the problems of the long-term development of ecotourism. Besides, the authors also show the role of specially protected natural areas in ecotourism development, including a list of organizations that can create tourist products in the environmental direction. This book also defines the primary conditions necessary for ecotourism in protected natural and rural areas. The resulting cartographic material visualizes the geospatial potential of the regions of Kazakhstan, aiming a more targeted expenditure of financial resources allocated to tourism development. Thus, the presented book is relevant from a practical perspective to scientists and researchers and is of value to business structures and stakeholders.