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Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Applied physics & special topics > Geophysics
These proceedings represent the worldwide picture of the state of the art of geodesy. The volume comprehensively covers the most recent results and supplies a good review of the new ideas developing in the field, opening a window to the future of geodesy.
During the 30 years of space exploration, important discoveries in the near-earth environment such as the Van Allen belts, the plasmapause, the magnetotail and the bow shock, to name a few, have been made. Coupling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere and energy transfer processes between them are being identified. Space physics is clearly approaching a new era, where the emphasis is being shifted from discoveries to understanding. One way of identifying the new direction may be found in the recent contribution of atmospheric science and oceanography to the development of fluid dynamics. Hydrodynamics is a branch of classical physics in which important discoveries have been made in the era of Rayleigh, Taylor, Kelvin and Helmholtz. However, recent progress in global measurements using man-made satellites and in large scale computer simulations carried out by scientists in the fields of atmospheric science and oceanography have created new activities in hydrodynamics and produced important new discoveries, such as chaos and strange attractors, localized nonlinear vortices and solitons. As space physics approaches the new era, there should be no reason why space scientists cannot contribute, in a similar manner, to fundamental discoveries in plasma physics in the course of understanding dynamical processes in space plasmas.
The existence of neutron stars was not only a brilliant theoretical prediction, but also one of the most unexpected and astonishing discoveries of all heavenly bodies. Twenty-five years after the remarkable event of their discovery, neutron stars, which are the densest, the most strongly magnetized, and the most rapid ly rotating bodies in the Galaxy, remain objects of intense interest. This book is a revised and enlarged version of the original Russian edition. The last five years were marked by the discovery of a supernova in the closest galaxy and dozens of X-ray sources and millisecond pulsars, which apparently confirm the validity of the basic ideas underlying these discoveries. The author has concentrated on the astrophysical manifestations of neutron stars, which are believed mainly to be associated with the nature of their interaction with their surroundings. Naturally, this approach does not leave much room for a detailed description of the internal structure of these stars. Fortunately, there exists an excellent monograph by S. L. Shapiro and S. A. Teukolsky (Black Holes, White Dwarfs, and Neutron Stars, Wiley, New York 1985) which deals mainly with the purely physical problems. Moreover, the publication of such a book in the West partly makes amends for the lack of information about the work being done by Soviet scientists in this field."
New and more accurate techniques for satellite gravimetry will be available soon, with promising applications in Earth sciences. With this special issue the authors want to stimulate discussion among Earth scientists on objectives and preferences for future satellite gravimetry missions. This is an urgently needed discussion. Visions for follow-on missions have to be developed today, if they are to be realized within 10 years, given the required preparation time of such satellite missions.
"It came from nowhere, snapping giant ships in two. No one believed the survivors . . . until now" -New Scientist magazine cover, June 30, 2001 Rogue waves are the focus of this book. They are among the waves naturally - served by people on the sea surface that represent an inseparable feature of the Ocean. Rogue waves appear from nowhere, cause danger, and disappear at once. They may occur on the surface of a relatively calm sea and not reach very high amplitudes, but still be fatal for ships and crew due to their unexpectedness and abnormal features. Seamen are known to be unsurpassed authors of exciting and horrifying stories about the sea and sea waves. This could explain why, despite the increasing number of documented cases, that sailors' observations of "walls of - ter" have been considered ctitious for a while. These stories are now addressed again due to the amount of doubtless evidence of the existence of the phenomenon, but still without suf cient information to - able interested researchers and engineers to completely understand it. The billows appear suddenly, exceeding the surrounding waves by two times their size and more, and obtaining many names: abnormal, exceptional, extreme, giant, huge, s- den, episodic, freak, monster, rogue, vicious, killer, mad- or rabid-dog waves, cape rollers, holes in the sea, walls of water, three sisters, etc.
This is the best compilation of current seismic and engineering data on the seismic hazard of the capitals of the Central Asian republics available in the English language. It comes to the conclusion that the risk to residents of these cities is extremely high.
The past fifteen years has witnessed an explosive growth in the fundamental research and applications of artificial neural networks (ANNs) and fuzzy logic (FL). The main impetus behind this growth has been the ability of such methods to offer solutions not amenable to conventional techniques, particularly in application domains involving pattern recognition, prediction and control. Although the origins of ANNs and FL may be traced back to the 1940s and 1960s, respectively, the most rapid progress has only been achieved in the last fifteen years. This has been due to significant theoretical advances in our understanding of ANNs and FL, complemented by major technological developments in high-speed computing. In geophysics, ANNs and FL have enjoyed significant success and are now employed routinely in the following areas (amongst others): 1. Exploration Seismology. (a) Seismic data processing (trace editing; first break picking; deconvolution and multiple suppression; wavelet estimation; velocity analysis; noise identification/reduction; statics analysis; dataset matching/prediction, attenuation), (b) AVO analysis, (c) Chimneys, (d) Compression I dimensionality reduction, (e) Shear-wave analysis, (f) Interpretation (event tracking; lithology prediction and well-log analysis; prospect appraisal; hydrocarbon prediction; inversion; reservoir characterisation; quality assessment; tomography). 2. Earthquake Seismology and Subterranean Nuclear Explosions. 3. Mineral Exploration. 4. Electromagnetic I Potential Field Exploration. (a) Electromagnetic methods, (b) Potential field methods, (c) Ground penetrating radar, (d) Remote sensing, (e) inversion.
This book is an attempt to demonstrate the analytical power of the holistic approach for understanding disasters. Six major earthquakes in Latin America are used as an example: the general idea is to place disasters in a broad social and regional context. Understanding disasters is a way of understanding the social system. The idea is to show that every major disaster is unique and different. Statistical methods may be useful for purposes of risk estimation but modern disasters are "systemic" and complex. In the chapter on the 2010 Chile earthquake we discuss the tsunami and why the system of tsunami alert did not work. The introductory chapter contains some basics of seismology (plate tectonics) and earthquake engineering. The 1985 Mexico earthquake describes why geology is important. Why was Mexico City founded in a lake? Technology must be adapted to the environment, not "imported" from possibly more advanced but different societies. The 1970 Peru earthquake is an example of disaster in a unique environment. Caracas 1967 takes us on a survey of different engineering solutions. And the 1960 Chile earthquake leads us on a retrospective survey--what has changed in Chile between the two major Chile earthquakes? A discussion on Charles Darwin's observations of the 1835 Chile earthquake provides a fitting summary.
Studies of stellar formation in galaxies have a profound impact on our understanding of the present and the early universe. The book describes complex physical processes involved in the creation of stars and during their young lives. It illustrates how these processes reveal themselves from radio wavelengths to high energy X-rays and gamma -rays, with special reference towards high energy signatures. Several sections devoted to key analysis techniques demonstrate how modern research in this field is pursued.
This is an account of the many ways in which the Sun affects our planet, how its influence has changed over the last few centuries and millennia, and the extent to which we can predict its future impact. The book is the first to integrate astronomical, geological, climatic and social aspects of the Sun. It includes a topical treatment of solar contribution to global warming, and demonstrates how wild and variable is the so-called Solar Constant. Our nearest star is a complex machine which needs to be treated with caution, and this book will equip every reader with the knowledge that is required to understand the benefits and dangers it can bring.
This book seeks to separate fact from fiction in the global-warming debate. The author begins by describing the history of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and many other conferences, and their dire predictions on global temperatures, rainfall, weather and climate, while highlighting confusion and sensationalism media reports. He then lays out the "heretical" scientific case of the sizable skeptical scientific community who challenge the accepted wisdom.
Seismic early warning is being recognized as a methodology which offers the biggest potential for real time seismic risk mitigation, particularly in towns and industrial areas. In order to be effectively applied it requires close cooperation between seismologists, communication experts and seismic engineers. The added value of this book is to offer an overview of frontier problems related to all aspects of the seismic early warning chain, from basic seismological issues to engineering problems and system reliability. Early warning seismic networks also provide near real time shake maps for damage estimation and emergency management immediately after an event. The state of the major early warning systems in operation and in the course of development (e.g. those operated in Japan, Taiwan, Rumania, Turkey and those being implemented in California and Southern Italy) is also presented. It is the first time that all these aspects are specifically focused upon within a single book. It will constitute a reference not only for researchers and students, but for all institutions which are willing to face the development and/or implementation of this methodology, including International organizations (UNDP, European Civil Protection, European Commision) National Civil Defence organizations, industry and town-planners.
The monograph being proposed for the English-speaking research community is concentrated on the atmospheric correction of satellite images as a part of thematic interpretation procedures while processing remote sensing data. For linguistic reasons a large section of the community may have been unaware of the progress made in Russia in this field of science and technology. Meanwhile, Russia was the first country to launch the first artificial satellite in 1957 and to obtain from space for the first time spectra of the Earth's atmosphere in the 1960's. New applications of the radiation transfer theory for the atmosphere underlying surface system appeared first in Russia in the 1970's. Direct and in verse problems of the atmospheric optics were then formulated giving the scientific basis for studies of natural resources from space. Since that time new mathematical treatments for the atmospheric correction procedures have been widely developed in Russia, including both analytical and numerical tech niques to simulate spectral, angular, and spatial distributions of the outgoing radiation in visual and infrared regions. The authors of the book were at the beginning of the scientific approach. A wide range of mathematical im provements to elaborate polinomial approximations for dependencies between atmospheric radiation field and parameters of space surveying was due to the necessity to process satellite images in real time using special software of ex isted computer means for the studies.
Our new monograph has been inspired by the former one, Earthquake Source Asymmetry, Structural Media, and Rotation Effects (R. Teisseyre, M. Takeo, and E. Majewski, eds, Springer 2006). Some problems, c- cerned primarily but not exclusively with the basic theoretical nature, have appeared to us as worthy of further analysis. Thus, in the present mo- graph we intend to develop new theoretical approaches to the theory of continua that go far beyond the traditional seismological applications. We also try to present the links between the experimental data, the observed rotational seismic waves, and their theoretical evaluation and description. In addition, we consider the basic point motions and deformations, and we intend to find the invariant forms to describe such point motions. We believe that there must exist the basic equations for all point motions and deformations, and we derive such relations within a frame of a continuum theory. Thus, in the considered standard asymmetric theory, we include relations not only for the displacement velocities but also for a spin motion and basic point deformations as well. We include here the axial point - formation and twist point deformation represented by the string-string and string-membrane motions. A twist vector is defined here as a vector p- pendicular to the string-string plane and representing its magnitude. It - comes an important counterpart to spin and a key to the presented theory. We show in the forthcoming chapters that the twist motion describes the oscillations of shear axes.
Edited by Reinhard Kirsch, this book demonstrates the use of geophysics for the detection and delineation of groundwater resources. As well as being an excellent reference, it could also be used as a textbook. An addition to the bookshelf of any geophysicist.
Using the kind permission given to me by my co-author, this short preface will be written in my name. I want to devote this book to San Juan city in Argentina. It is not only due to the fact that the city was twice completely destroyed after the devastating ear- quakes in 1941 and 1977, but also because my stay there completely changed my life. Changes included changing my career from the field of space plasma physics to Earth sciences and geophysics, and changes in my personal life giving me h- piness and compliance in my present family. Going back to the subject of the book, it should be noted that the history of the question asked by the book is very complicated and intricate. Starting in the 1930s from the observation of seismogenic electric fields, the area of seismo-ionospheric coupling became an area of fighting and conflicts, hopes and frustrations. Spe- lation and misunderstanding on the interdisciplinary borders made this field for many years (even up to now) taboo for so-called "serious scientists." But due to the courageous efforts of several groups in Russia and the former USSR states such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Japan, later France and Taiwan, Greece and Italy the situation started to improve.
83 input to the ions is balanced by a cooling to atomic oxygen, the major neutral constituent, and measurements of the difference between ion and neutral tem perature permit the determination of atomic oxygen concentrations. Using this approach, ALCA YDE et al. 6 have shown from data taken above Saint Santin, France, that the atomic oxygen concentration at 200 km is slightly larger in winter than summer. () The molecular concentrations at heights near 200 km can also be derived from a determination of the ratio of the molecular-ion concentration to elec tron concentration, p (Cox and EVANS 7). It can be shown from the steady state form of the continuity equation for 0+ ions that (20.2) where Q(O+) represents the photoionization coefficient of oxygen atoms, and k and k19 represent the rate coefficients of reactions between 0+ ions and 1S molecular nitrogen Illld oxygen (reactions (12.18) and (12.19)). Then the ratio of atomic oxygen to weighted molecular sum is given by: (l-p)Ne [OJ (20.3) Q(O+) , [kMJ where Ne represents the electron concentration.
Written for geodesists using computers of modest capacity, the book reviews the latest development in geodetic computation techniques. The aim is to take stock of available data (datums, ellipsoids, units etc.), to focus on applications and to illuminate spatial developments. Topics cover datums and reference systems, geodetic arc distances, different projections and coordinate systems. The material has been specially chosen and covers the practical aspect of geodesy, including the demonstration of global examples. Stressing the how-to-do approach, the book is of interest to students in geodesy, GIS consultants, hydrographers and land surveyors.
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 idea for a book on anorthosites came to me in January of 1986 while returning to Houston after holiday festivities in Dallas. The original idea was a review paper on anorthosites, but by the time I reached Houston, the subject material I contemplated induding was obviously too extensive for a single paper. The Director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Kevin Burke, was receptive to the idea of a book, and suggested that I contact Peter Wyllie, who serves as Editor of the Springer-Verlag series Minerals and Rocks. This effort, which I originally expected would take about a year, has taken nearly 6. I have many excuses- indolence, moving to another continent, other commitments, etc.-but the basic truth is that writing a book is much larger an undertaking than can be anticipated. Many people are aware of this, and I was duly forewarned. . But why write a book on anorthosites? This is a very good question, which I have considered from many angles. One rationale can be expressed in terms of a comparison between anorthosite and basalt. A first-order understanding of basalt genesis has been extant for many years. By contrast, there is little agreement about the origin of anorthosite. There are good reasons for studying and writing about basalt: it is the most abundant rock type on the Earth's surface, and is also plentiful on the surfaces of the other terrestrial planets.
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)
The ocean floor spreading theory was proposed during 1961 and 62 by Robert Dietz and Harry Hess. This concept was a revolutionary one, and renewed the scientists thoughts on the dynamics of the ocean bottom. Then, for example, the coincidence of the Wadati-Benioff Zone with the subduction zone proposed by new concept was well understood. Further development of the ocean floor spreading theory was the proposal of new concept "plate tectonics" proposed by Xavier LePichon and by a few others during 1967 and 68. This new idea could solve the various conflicts involved in the "ocean floor spreading theory." Therefore, today, scientists understand that the plate tectonics theory was born by the ocean floor spreading theory, which is able to cover the weak points of the latter. D/V Glomar Challenger started her Leg Ion 20 July, 1968 from Orange, Texas to implement the Deep Sea Drilling Project. The timing almost coincided with the proposal period of the plate tectonics. After carrying out a few legs of the drilling operations, the results obtained by D I V Glomar Challenger well proved the rightness of the newly proposed theories of the ocean floor spreading and the plate tectonics. For us, the successful processes started by the ocean floor spreading theory, improved by the concept of plate tectonics and proved by the DSDP results have been a golden monument in the field of earth sciences probably for several centuries.
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)."
The aim of this book is to describe contemporary analytical and semi analytical techniques for solving typical celestial-mechanics problems. The word "techniques" is used here as a term intermediate between "methods" and "recipes." One often conceives some method of solution of a problem as a general mathematical tool, while not taking much care with its computa tional realization. On the other hand, the word "recipes" may nowadays be understood in the sense of the well-known book Numerical Recipes (Press et al., 1992), where it means both algorithms and their specific program realiza tion in Fortran, C or Pascal. Analytical recipes imply the use of some general or specialized computer algebra system (CAS). The number of different CAS currently employed in celestial mechanics is too large to specify just a few of the most preferable systems. Besides, it seems reasonable not to mix the essence of any algorithm with its particular program implementation. For these reasons, the analytical techniques of this book are to be regarded as algorithms to be implemented in different ways depending on the hardware and software available. The book was preceded by Analytical Algorithms of Celestial Mechanics by the same author, published in Russian in 1980. In spite of there being much common between these books, the present one is in fact a new mono graph."
Progress towards an understanding of the dynamics and interactions of galaxies has been spurred on more than ever by a wealth of new observations and numerical experiments. The Heidelberg Conference 1989, the papers of which are collected in this volume, was extremely successful in presenting a synoptic view of the field in all its aspects: galaxy interactions in the early universe and in recent times, interactions of our galaxy and its neighbours, dynamical problems of elliptical and disk galaxies, groups and clusters, starburst and nuclear activity triggered by interactions, merger scenarios, and numerical experiments. Researchers and graduate students, specialists or not, will find here a complete overview of a rapidly growing field of astronomy. |
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