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Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Applied physics & special topics > Geophysics
In the USA, Western and Central Europe, there are many large-scale polluted sites that are too large to be cleaned up economically with available technologies. The pollution is caused by heavy industries to soils and sediments in waterways and reservoirs. Since these areas are expected to remain polluted for many years, it is necessary to take a long-term view to insure that the capacity to retain the contaminants is not diminished and to understand the potential for large-scale contaminant mobilization at these sites triggered by changing environmental conditions. This book provides information for predicting long-term changes and making risk assessments and describes the approach of geochemical engineering to handling large-scale polluted sites.
Climate is the most important component of the Earth's environment and climatic fluctuations have a strong impact on water supplies, vegetation, energy use etc. Thus our understanding of the climatic system is of utmost importance. Leading experts in the field of climate modelling and paleoclimatology present the most recent methods for reconstructing past climatic variations and for modelling the climatic system and its evolution. The first of three parts is devoted to the climatic system and the physical basis for its modelling; the second summarizes the evolution of the global atmosphere, the ocean, the continents, the biosphere, and the ice sheets during recent climatic cycles; the last part focusses on the understanding of past and future climatic changes.
In exploration seismology, data are acquired at multiple source and receiver posi tions along a profile line. These data are subsequently processed and interpreted. The primary result of this process is a subsurface image of the exploration target. As part of this procedure, additional information is also obtained about the subsurface material properties, e.g., seismic velocities. The methods that are employed in the acquisition and processing of exploration seismic data are internally consistent. That is, principally near vertical incidence seismic waves are generated, recorded and subsequently imaged. The data processing methods commonly used are based upon a small angle of incidence approximation, thus making the imaging problem tractable for existing data processing technology. Although tremendously successful, the limitations of this method are generally recognized. Current and future exploration goals will likely require the use of additional seismic waves, i.e., both compressional and shear precritical and postcritical reflections and refractions. Also, in addition to making better use of seismic travel times, recent efforts to directly incorporate seismic amplitude variations show that the approach may lead to a better understanding of subsurface rock properties. In response to more demanding exploration goals, recent data acquisition techniques have improved significantly by increasing the spatial aperture and incorporating a large number of closely spaced receivers. The need for better subsurface resolution in depth and position has encouraged the use of 240, 512, and even 1024 recorded data channels with receiver separations of 5 to 25 m."
It has been my intention in this book to give a coordinated treatment of the whole of theoretical geophysics. The book assumes a mathematical back ground through calculus and differential equations. It also assumes a reason able background in physics and in elementary vector analysis. The level of the book is commensurate with that of a senior undergraduate or first year graduate course. Its aim is to provide the reader with a survey of the whole of theoretical geophysics. The emphasis has been on the basic and the elementary. The expert in any one of the several disciplines covered here will find much lacking from his particular area of investigation; no apology is made for that. In order to treat all aspects in a coordinated manner, the simplest type of mathematical nota tion for the various physical problems has been used, namely, that of scalars, three-dimensional vectors, and the vector operators, gradient, curl, divergence, etc. It is appreciated that this elementary notation often may not be the most conducive to the solution of some of the more complex geophysical problems. The derivations are, in almost every case, carried through in considerable detail. Sometimes the particulars of the algebra and calculus have been omitted and relegated to one of the problems following the section. The emphasis has been on the physics of the derivations and on explaining the various physical principles important in geophysics, such as continuity, mixing, diffusion, conduction, convection, precession, wobble, rays, waves, dispersion, and potential theory."
In recent years the significant progress in satellite-based observations of plasma states and associated electromagnetic phenomena in space has resulted in the accumulation of much evidence of various plasma instabilities. Today plasma instabilities are believed to be responsible for electromagnetic radiation as well as for many of the macroscopic dynamics of plasmas in space. Most students who begin to study plasma physics are intrigued by the unstable nature of plasmas compared with other states of matter; however, they often become frustrated because there are so many in stabilities. Such frustration explains in part why there is no textbook which treats this subject exclusively. A description of plasma instabilities in a systematic way is nontrivial and takes a pertinacious effort. This book is an attempt to provide a basic introduction on the subject and covers most of the important instabilities. However, the author must apologize for any omission of references to contributions of individuals who deserve more credit. The reader is assumed to have a general knowledge of plasma physics obtainable in an undergraduate course. The book is intended to be used as a reference text on the subject of plasma instabilities at the under graduate level as well as for a text in a special course in graduate school. Because the book is part of a series on physics and chemistry in space, emphasis is placed on plasma instabilities relevant in space plasmas."
This book explores the basic principles and methods of paleomagnetology and gives a systematic description of paleomagnetic phenomena such as geomagnetic reversals, paleosecular variations, long-term intensity changes and apparent polar wandering paths. Special emphasis is laid on results obtained from research work done in the Soviet Union. Together with data from other parts of the world they allow the critical discussion of aspects of magnetostratigraphy, plate tectonics and accretion tectonics. In diesem Buch werden grundlegende Fragen der Palaomagnetologie und des Palaomagnetismus abgehandelt. Durch die Einbeziehung zahlreicher Daten aus der Sowjetunion werden Probleme der Magnetostratigraphie sowie der Platten- und Akkretionstektonik kritisch beleuchtet.
The physics of minerals in a broad sense implies the fundamental aspects of understanding mineral matter: the electronic structure of atoms related to their behavior in geochemical processes; the atomic and electronic structures of minerals; the properties of minerals, with their genetic, geophysical, and technical significance, and their pressure and temperature dependence; the mechanisms of phenomena and reactions in mineral formation and transformation processes; the physical me thods applied in mineralogical, geochemical and petrological studies, and to a great extent in geological surveys and prospecting. In a narrower sense, it is a branch lying in the border area between mineralogy and solid-state physics, dealing with those aspects of mine ralogy which require, for their understanding and investigation, special knowledge in contemporary physics and chemistry of solids. The physics of minerals accounts for the third crucial change within this century in the conceptual foundations of mineralogy: after physi cochemical mineralogy, from experimental studies of phase relations to parage netic analyses, and crystal chemistry of minerals, there followed solid-state physics, which has evolved to its present state over the past 25 years. The task of mineralogy has expanded greatly. In addition to the identification and description of minerals, it is becoming necessary to establish the relationships between structure, composition and properties of minerals and their genesis, their distribution within geological regions, magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary formations and types of ore deposits. The development of new methods of investigation requires an understanding of the physical meaning of the parameters under evaluation."
The theory of linear discrete time filtering started with a paper by Kol mogorov in 1941. He addressed the problem for stationary random se quences and introduced the idea of the innovations process, which is a useful tool for the more general problems considered here. The reader may object and note that Gauss discovered least squares much earlier; however, I want to distinguish between the problem of parameter estimation, the Gauss problem, and that of Kolmogorov estimation of a process. This sep aration is of more than academic interest as the least squares problem leads to the normal equations, which are numerically ill conditioned, while the process estimation problem in the linear case with appropriate assumptions leads to uniformly asymptotically stable equations for the estimator and the gain. The conditions relate to controlability and observability and will be detailed in this volume. In the present volume, we present a series of lectures on linear and nonlinear sequential filtering theory. The theory is due to Kalman for the linear colored observation noise problem; in the case of white observation noise it is the analog of the continuous-time Kalman-Bucy theory. The discrete time filtering theory requires only modest mathematical tools in counterpoint to the continuous time theory and is aimed at a senior-level undergraduate course. The present book, organized by lectures, is actually based on a course that meets once a week for three hours, with each meeting constituting a lecture."
Scientists concerned with the processes occurring in the stratosphere are becoming more and more aware of the role that the stratosphere may play in the global climate and in global change in general. This book focuses on the basic processes taking place in the stratosphere and on the stratospheric changes which may occur from either natural or anthropogenic forcing. Of major concern here is the consequence of the increasing Antarctic Ozone Hole and the possibility of similar processes occurring at northern latitudes. One of the expected consequences of the change in the stratospheric composition, mainly ozone depletion, is the change in the penetration of UV-B in the troposphere, at the surface, and in the top layers of the ocean. Monitoring and modeling of those changes are still in infancy, even though the implications may be of utmost importance for the entire biosphere. Several aspects of these consequences with regard to aquatic ecosystems, terrestrial vegetation and human health are presented by experts in these fields.
The contributions in this book were presented, orally or as posters, at the International Volcanological Congress held in New Zealand from 1 to 9 February 1986, the centenary year of the Tarawera eruption of 10 June 1886. More than 500 people, from 29 countries, attend ed the Congress. Most of these works formed part of Symposium 4, "Volcanic Hazards - Prediction and Assess ment," convened by J.H. Latter, R.R. Dibble, D.A. Swanson and C.G. Newhall. The collection represents over half of the published abstracts of Symposium 4, together with three papers given at the Symposium, which lacked abstracts, and two which were part of Symposium 1 on pyroclastic flow deposits. The contribu tions cover a good proportion of the volcanically active parts of the world, with Italy, Japan, the West Indies and the USA especially well represented. Mount Erebus, Vulcano and Rabaul are individual volcanoes which have been treated in particular detail. Unfor tunately, there are no chapters in the book dealing with Africa, the Atlantic islands (except Iceland), Hawaii, Central America (except Mexico), or South America (in spite of the major disaster at Nevado del Ruiz Volcano in 1985)."
This collection of papers is based on a symposium held in 1987 at the Interna tional Union of Geology and Geodesy Congress in Vancouver, British Colum bia. The Symposium was planned as a follow-up to a session at the 1984 Geo logical Society of America Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, which dealt with the emplacement of silicic lava domes. In both cases, emphasis was placed on the physical and mechanical rather than chemical aspects of lava flow. The IUGG Symposium consisted of two lecture sessions, a poster session, and two discussion periods, and had 22 participants. The contributions to this volume are all based on papers presented in the various parts of the Sym posium. The motivation for studying lava flow mechanics is both practical and scientific. Scientists and government agencies seek to more effectively predict the hazards associated with active lavas. Recovering mineral resources found in lava flows and domes also requires an understanding of their emplacement. From a more theoretical standpoint, petrologists view lava studies as a way to directly observe the rheologic consequences of mixing crystals, bubbles, and solid blocks of country rock with silicate liquids. This information can then be used to constrain processes occurring in the concealed conduits, dikes, and chambers that feed flows and domes on the surface."
This book introduces aqueous geochemistry applied to geothermal systems. It is specifically designed for readers first entering into the world of geothermal energy from a variety of scientific and engineering backgrounds, and consequently is not intended to be the last word on geothermal chemistry. Instead it is intended to provide readers with sufficient background knowledge to permit them to subsequently understand more complex texts and scientific papers on geothermal energy. The book is structured into two parts. The first explains how geothermal fluids and their associated chemistry evolve, and shows how the chemistry of these fluids can be used to, deduce information about the resource. The second part concentrates on survey techniques explaining how these should be performed and the procedures which need to be adopted to ensure reliable sampling and analytical data are obtained. A geothermal system requires a heat source and a fluid which transfers the heat towards the surface. The fluid could be molten rock (magma) or water. This book concentrates on the chemistry of the water, or hydrothermal, systems. Consequently, magma-energy systems are not considered. Hot-dry rock (HDR) systems are similarly outside the scope of this text, principally because they contain no indigenous fluid for study. Both magma-energy and HDR systems have potential as energy sources but await technological developments before they can be exploited commercially. Geothermal systems based on water, however, are proven energy resources which have been successfully developed throughout the world.
Especially due to the increasing environmental problems there is a need to collect as many data as possible in the upper atmosphere. This book serves as a general multidisciplinary guide and introduction for a more effective use of the large amount of now available data from the Earth's atmosphere. It also shows the problems of the use of large amounts of time series data - for basic science as well as for environmental monitoring - and the related information systems. The book is aimed for scientists and students interested in the Earth's atmosphere which is vital for the understanding of environmental changes in the global system Earth.
Differential geodesy is concerned with the geometry of the gravity
field of the Earth, which is of fundamental importance to both
theoretical geodesy and geophysics. This monograph presents a
unified treatment of the foundations of differential geodesy as
proposed originally by Antonio Marussi and Martin Hotine in their
work.
Earth's Rotation from Eons to Days reviews long-term changes, methods of measurement, and the major influences on rotation parameters. In order to understand secular changes, the momentary behavior of ocean tides must be analyzed and appropriately modelled. Researchers and students in astronomy and all fields of geosciences will find a wealth of information related to the interaction of geophysical phenomena and the rotation of the planet Earth.
The second part of the "Seismicity of the European Area" contains further results of the survey of European seismicity, performed during the period 1959 -1967. It was intended to publish the second part with the shortest possible delay. The first part appeared in 1968 when the manuscript of the second part was handed over to the publisher. Unfortunately, due to unexpected technical difficulties the publica tion had to be postponed until the end of 1970. Thus the manuscript reflects the state of knowledge corresponding to the year 1967 when the work on the manuscript was concluded. It was only possible to make minor changes, or to insert additional, very brief information into the catalogue Prague, July 20, 1970 Vit Karnik CONTENTS 1. 1. Introduction 7 1. 2. Source literature 9 2. Earthquake catalogue 1801-1900 11 2. 1. Earthquake parameters 12 2. 11. Date, time of origin 12 2. 12. Epicentre coordinates 12 2. 13. Epicentral intensity 13 2. 14. Description of macro seismic effects, foreshocks, aftershocks 14 2. 2. Statistical tables 15 2. 3. Supplementary catalogues for the years prior to 1801 and after 1955 17 2. 4. Catalogue of Earthquakes 1801-1900, 10 ~ VII 19 2. 41. Earthquake catalogue of the European and Mediterranean area, unidentified names of localities 114 2. 42. References to the catalogue of shocks 1801-1900 117 3. Some characteristics of seismic activity 123 3. t. Discussion of the magnitude-frequency relation 123 3. 11.
From the reviews: .."...The book is a very good balance between theory and applications, of analysis and synthesis, keeping always the focus on the comprehension of the physics ruling our planetary system. In summary, this represents both an excellent textbook for students and a fundamental reference, and encyclopedic summary current knowledge, for researchers in the Solar System field." (Alessandro Rossi, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, 2005)
Global climate change is one of the most important environmental issues facing the world today. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) acknowledges the potential for global climate change to have major effects on the world economy. The work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli mate Change (lPCC) is focused on evaluating the scientific data on climate change and analyzing the potential responses to it. One of the primary issues in the global climate change debate is how to adapt to any change that might occur. The process ofidentifying adaptation measures and evaluating their effectiveness is the focus of this book. In dealing with climate change adaptation, the sequence of events in conduct ing these types of analyses can be generalized as follows: * Develop scenarios for the possible range of climate change, * Assess the vulnerability of various sectors of the national economy and infrastructure to climate change, and * Identify and evaluate measures in each sector to adapt to the climate change It is this third step that is the subject of this book. In presenting this material, Chapter 1 gives an overview of the concept of climate change adaptation and the general principles guiding the conduct of analyses in this area. Chapters 2-7 give the results of evaluating climate change adaptation options in the agriculture, water resources, coastal resources, forest and ecosystems, fisheries, and human settlements sectors.
The first crisis in energy prices was undoubtedly a strong stimulus for the involvement of the Commission of the European Communities in research and development on alternative energy sources. Indeed, the need to overcome difficulties faced by the Community as a whole, particularly those resulting from its severely unbalanced energy supply, made a common Community approach seem especially apt. This reasoning also applies to energy R&D, bearing in mind that responses to the crisis should be not only political or economic, but also scientific. Four years have passed since the decision of the Council of Ministers to launch the first Community Energy Research and Development Programme, dealing with geothermal energy, solar energy, hydrogen production and utili sation, energy conservation and energy systems analysis. A seminar on geo thermal energy was held two years ago to report on work in progress at the half-way stage of the four-year programme. The second international seminar, reported in this volume, was arrang ed so as to provide an opportunity to examine the final outcome of this Community investment in research in geothermal energy. This proceedings volume therefore has two main aims: - to present an evaluation of the results of the Community geothermal programme, by means of 83 formal reports describing the individual research programmes; - to show how the Community research programme fits into the overall context of national and international research on geothermal energy, by including the presentations of six guest speakers who introduced the sessions and gave keynote addresses."
The yearbook series Reviews in Modern Astronomy of the Astronomische Gesell three years ago in order to bring the scientific events schaft (AG) was established of the meetings of the society to the attention of the worldwide astronomical community. Reviews in Modern Astronomy is devoted exclusively to the invited reviews, the Karl Schwarzschild lectures, and the highlight contributions from leading scientists reporting on recent progress and scientific achievements at their research institutes. Volume 4 comprises all, eighteen contributions which were presented during the fall meeting of the AG at Preiburg/Breisgau in September 1990. They cover problems in solar research and the solar system as well as the first results of the ROSAT and Hipparcos space missions, stellar and extragalactic studies, and Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Karl Schwarzschild Medal was awarded to Professor Eugene Parker1. His lecture entitled "Convection, Spontaneous Discontinuities, and Stellar Winds and X-Ray Emis*sion" begins this volume.
Geodynamics is commonly thought to be one of the subjects which provide the basis for understanding the origin of the visible surface features of the Earth: the latter are usually assumed as having been built up by geodynamic forces originating inside the Earth ("endogenetic" processes) and then as having been degrad ed by geomorphological agents originating in the atmosphere and ocean ("exogenetic" agents). The modem view holds that the sequence of events is not as neat as it was once thought to be, and that, in effect, both geodynamic and geomorphological processes act simultaneously ("Principle of Antagonism"); however, the division of theoretical geology into the principles of geodynamics and those of theoretical geomorphology seems to be useful for didactic purposes. It has therefore been maintained in the present writer's works. This present treatise on geodynamics is the first part of the author's treatment of theoretical geology, the treatise on Theoretical Geomorphology (also published by the Springer Verlag) representing the second. The present edition is third one of the book. Although the headings of the chapters and sections are much the same as in the previous editions, it will be found that most of the material is, in fact, new."
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide an enhanced environment for spatial data processing. The ability of geographic information systems to handle and analyse spatially referenced data may be seen as a major characteristic which distinguishes GIS from information systems developed to serve the needs of business data processing as well as from CAD systems or other systems whose primary objective is map production. This book, which contains contributions from a wide-ranging group of international scholars, demonstrates the progress which has been achieved so far at the interface of GIS technology and spatial analysis and planning. The various contributions bring together theoretical and conceptual, technical and applied issues. Topics covered include the design and use of GIS and spatial models, AI tools for spatial modelling in GIS, spatial statistical analysis and GIS, GIS and dynamic modelling, GIS in urban planning and policy making, information systems for policy evaluation, and spatial decision support systems.
For many centuries people living on volcanoes have known that the outset of seismic activity is often a forerunner of a volcanic eruption. This understand ing allowed people living close to the sites of the Mt. Nuovo 1538 eruption at Campi Flegrei, Italy, and of the Mt. Usu 1663 eruption, in Hokkaido, Japan (to quote only two examples) to flee before the eruptions started. During the second half of the 19th century seismographs were installed on some volcanoes, and the link between seismic and eruptive activity started to be assessed on a firmer scientific basis. The first systematic observations of the correlations existing between seismic activity and volcanic eruptions were probably those carried out at Mt. Vesuvius by Luigi Palmieri in 1856. Palmieri was the Director of Osservatorio Vesuviano and built an electromagnetic seismograph with the aim of "making visible the smallest ground motions by recording them on paper and indicating direction, intensity and duration." He was able to show the relationship between earthquakes and the different phases of volcanic activity. He identified the harmonic tremor which he indicated was a precursor of volcanic activity: "the characteristic feature of the ground mo tions preceding eruption is its continuity . . . (before the eruption of 1861) the electromagnetic seismograph began to show a continuous tremor." The Palmieri seismograph was also utilized in Japan until 1883, when it was replaced by the new Gray-Milne seismographs, and, later, by the Omori in struments."
One of the most fundamental discoveries of the solar system was the detection of four moons in orbit around Jupiter by Galileo Galilei in 1610. The discovery was significant not only in the context of Jupiter; it gave credence to and was instrumental in firmly establishing the heliocentric system of Nicolaus Copernicus. Almost four centuries after Galileo's discovery, exten sive observations by the two Voyager spacecrafts have once again revolu tionized our thinking about the major planets, their composition, structure, origin, and evolution. This book is an attempt at summarizing our present understanding of the atmospheres and ionospheres in the outer solar system, with particular emphasis on the relevant physics and chemistry. I was motivat ed to prepare this manuscript for the following reasons. First, after under going rapid expansion in the recent past, the subject has finally attained suf ficient maturity to warrant a monograph of its own. Second, I have felt that as a result of recent observations, new and challenging problems have arisen whose resolution requires unconventional analysis and theoretical interpreta tion of existing data, as well as the collection of new kinds of data. I believe the time is ripe to put these issues in the appropriate scientific perspective, with the hope of stimulating novel theoretical, observational, and laboratory studies. I have highlighted the significant scientific problems throughout the book, especially at the end of each chapter.
In the years since the pioneering efforts of Sir Edward Appleton, M. A. F. Barnett, G. Breit, and M. A. Thve, many radio techniques have been employed to investigate the terrestrial ionosphere. The purposes of this book are to exam ine the basic physical interaction process of radio waves with the ionosphere, scrutinize each of the radio techniques currently in use, and describe the elements of each technique, as well as assess their capabilities and limitations. I have included some of the history of each technique, since we often tend to forget the efforts of the "pioneers". The interaction of radio waves with the terrestrial ionosphere has been described in considerable detail in several "classic" treatments, e.g., Ratcliffe (1959), Al'pert (1963), Budden (1961) and Davies (1965), Rishbeth and e.g., Flock (1979), Davies Garriott (1969), and in other more recent books, (1990), Hargreaves (1979), and Budden (1985). A few of the radio techniques have been described by Hargreaves (1979) and a book by Giraud and Petit (1978) has also included discussion of several of the techniques. The "WITS" handbook No. 2 (1989) also contains description of several radio techniques. |
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