The ''Aral Sea Encyclopedia'' is the first one in the new series of encyclopedias about the seas of the former Soviet Union. Preparing it we faced certain difficulties. The thing is that this encyclopedia is a monument to the sea that is disappearing during our lifetime. The world community considers the situation with the Aral Sea and all changes that occurred in its whereabouts in the recent decades as one of the most serious, if not disastrous anthropogenic environmental crises of the 20th century. Before 1960, this was a water-abundant sea-lake that was fourth among world lakes after the Caspian Sea (USSR, Iran), the Great Lakes (USA, Canada) and Victoria Lake (Africa). This was a real ''pearl'' among the sands of the largest deserts, the Karakums and the Kyzylkums. Navigation between the sea ports Muinak and Aralsk and fisheries famous for the Aral breams, barbells, sturgeons, shemaya, and others were developed here. One could find beautiful recreational zones and beaches here. The deltas of the Amudarya, the major river of Central Asia, and the Syrdarya bringing their waters into the Aral Sea were famous for their biodiversity, fishery, muskrat rearing, reed prod- tion. The local population found occupations related to the water infrastructure.

This volume focuses on approaches towards a better understanding of the geological, hydrogeological and paleoclimatic evolution of Northeast Africa. Among the topics discussed are Phanerozoic interplate dynamics, sedimentology and stratigraphy, and mineral deposits and metallogeny.

Palaeomagnetism, plates, hot spots, trenches and ridges are the subject of this unusual book. Plate Tectonics is a book of exercises and background information that introduces and demonstrates the basics of the subject. In a lively and lucid manner, it brings together a great deal of material in spherical trigonometry that is necessary to understand plate tectonics and the research literature written about it. It is intended for use in first year graduate courses in geophysics and tectonics, and provides a guide to the quantitative understanding of plate tectonics.

This volume contains a range of topics from quaternary vertebrate palaeontology in Argentina and biostratigraphy of uppermost Cenozoic in the Pampas. It determines the ice-rafted lithoclasts by the observation on thin slides, the latter issued from the rock sustratum of the Antarctic continent.

The final report of the 1989 Finnish Work Group 9 of the INQUA on the Genesis and Lithology of Glacial Sediments entitled Glacigenic deposits as indicators of glacial movements and their use for indicator tracing in the search for ore deposits . Emphasizes the significance of extensive application o

This volume is a compilation of papers that deal with palaeoecological aspects of Argentina and Uruguay, and that derive from the special session on the Quaternary of South America at the XIIth INQUA International Congress held in Ottawa in 1987.

For most people, planet Earth's icy parts remain out of sight and out of mind. Yet it is the melting of ice that will both raise sea level and warm the climate further by reducing the white surfaces that reflect solar energy back into space. In effect, our icy places act as the world's refrigerator, helping to keep our climate relatively cool. The Icy Planet lays out carbon dioxide's role as the control knob of our climate over the past 1000 million years, then explores what is happening to ice and snow in Antarctica, the Arctic and the high mountains. Colin Summerhayes takes readers to the world's icy places to see what is happening to its ice, snow, and permafrost. He recounts tales from his own visits to these frozen landscapes, shining a light on some of the wonders he has encountered in his travels. He also brings together pieces of the climate story from different scientific disciplines, and from the past and the present, to illustrate how Earth's climate system works. Utilizing geological records of climate change alongside new technologies in ice coring, Summerhayes crafts a detailed and compelling record of Earth's climate history and examines how that can be used as a window into our future.

This volume represents the proceedings from a colloquium held in West Germany in 1980 on late and postglacial oscillations of glaciers. The main texts are in German (13), English (8) and French (5) but all have abstracts in the three languages and all the figure captions are similarly translated.

This publication is devoted to the natural feature the Black Sea andits littoral states. At the same time the Azov Sea is also considered here. This region is the focus of many geopolitical, economic, social and environmental issues that involve not only the countries coming out to the Black and Azov Seas, but other world countries, too.

This publication contains over 1500 articles and terms providing descriptions of geographical and oceanographic features, cities, ports, transport routes, marinebiological resources, international treaties, national and international programs, research institutions, historical and archaeological monuments, activities of prominent scientists, researchers, travelers, military commanders, etc. who had relation to the Black Sea.

It includes a multi-century chronology of the events that became the outstanding milestones in the history of development of the Black Sea Azov Sea region."

A gripping history of the polar continent, from the great discoveries of the nineteenth century to modern scientific breakthroughs Antarctica, the ice kingdom hosting the South Pole, looms large in the human imagination. The secrets of this vast frozen desert have long tempted explorers, but its brutal climate and glacial shores notoriously resist human intrusion. Land of Wondrous Cold tells a gripping story of the pioneering nineteenth-century voyages, when British, French, and American commanders raced to penetrate Antarctica's glacial rim for unknown lands beyond. These intrepid Victorian explorers-James Ross, Dumont D'Urville, and Charles Wilkes-laid the foundation for our current understanding of Terra Australis Incognita. Today, the white continent poses new challenges, as scientists race to uncover Earth's climate history, which is recorded in the south polar ice and ocean floor, and to monitor the increasing instability of the Antarctic ice cap, which threatens to inundate coastal cities worldwide. Interweaving the breakthrough research of the modern Ocean Drilling Program with the dramatic discovery tales of its Victorian forerunners, Gillen D'Arcy Wood describes Antarctica's role in a planetary drama of plate tectonics, climate change, and species evolution stretching back more than thirty million years. An original, multifaceted portrait of the polar continent emerges, illuminating our profound connection to Antarctica in its past, present, and future incarnations. A deep-time history of monumental scale, Land of Wondrous Cold brings the remotest of worlds within close reach-an Antarctica vital to both planetary history and human fortunes.

This English translation of "Istoricheskaya Geotektonika"

Contents: Origin of solar system and formation of planet Earth. Hadean 4.5-4.0 b.y.) stage of development; Early Archaean (4.0-3.5 b.y.): oldest sialic crust of the earth and problems of its formation; Middle and Late Archaean (3.5-2.5 b.y.): granite-greenstone terranes and granulite belts. Formation of mature continental crust; Early Proterozoic: partial destruction and restoration of Pangea; Early Riphean: new stage of destruction and commencement of fragmentation of Pangea I' Middle Riphean: continuation of destruction and break-up of Pangea; Late Riphean: Disintegration of Pangea into Gondwana and Laurasia. Origin of mobile belts against the background of development of plate tectonics; Vendian: consolidation of Gondwana and formation of mobile belts of Laurasia against the background of its disintegration; General features of the structural development of the earth's crust in the Precambrian.

The book gives an overview of the tectonic, geological, potential fields, etc maps of the Arctic that were compiled during geological and geophysical studies conducted in the Arctic over the past 15 years under the International project "Atlas of Geological Maps of the Circumpolar Arctic at a scale of 5M" and presents the results of geological, geophysical, paleogeographic and tectonic studies carried out in the Arctic Ocean and the Eastern Arctic during the implementation of national mapping and scientific programmes and studies intended to provide scientific substantiation for the extension of the continental shelf (ECS). Given its scope, the book will appeal to a wide range of geologists.

In Search of Ancient Tsunamis takes readers on a journey through the science of tsunamis and acts as a "how to" guide in the geology, geomorphology, anthropology, and archaeology of these devastating phenomena. The book draws on examples from around the world and includes numerous personal accounts of field and laboratory experiences. This journey through tsunami science is framed within the search for ancient tsunamis in the northern part of Chile, a desert environment that requires all the skillsets available to the tsunami researcher. This is a region where numerous attempts to find evidence have failed largely due to the hostile environment that refuses to play by the rules. The story is told through the very personal lens of the author with first-hand accounts of the trials and tribulations of fieldwork and local eccentricities, of serendipitous events, and a growing awareness and understanding of a wide variety of techniques that can be applied to the science. The journey is populated with side stories engaging the reader with deeper insights into the countries, study areas, joys and disappointments of carrying out scientific research across the globe. It is both a very personal story as well as an in-depth look at the science involved in an increasingly sophisticated and interdisciplinary search to better understand the true nature of tsunamis. It contains the wisdom of elders, "Eureka" moments of discovery, and a look at the very latest developments of understanding the effects of ancient tsunamis on prehistoric human populations.

Moving away from his earlier belief in a short, catastrophic history of the Earth, this volume shows how Buckland envisages instead progressive change as the Earth gradually cooled as it was prepared for human occupation. Extinct creatures did not die out because they were poorly designed; God loved the dinosaurs and had adapted them to their various circumstances.

Moving away from his earlier belief in a short, catastrophic history of the Earth, Buckland's treatise envisages instead and propounds the theory of a course of progressive change that occurred as the Earth gradually cooled and became ready for human occupation. During this time, the creatures that first walked the Earth did not die out because they were poorly designed; God loved the dinosaurs and had adapted them to their various circumstances.

Here is a book for everyone who has an interest in how our planet works, what has happened during its 4,550 million year history and what might happen in the future. It tells how Earth scientists study the pattern of events that have shaped the planet and guided the evolution of life on Earth. In clear and simple language it describes how the effects of these events are measured and the careful detective work needed to unravel the extraordinary complexity of Earth history. The latest advances in dating methods, including the detection of regular patterns of global climate change, are explained and illustrated with real case histories. Our environment is unexpectedly unstable.
Dramatic and catastrophic changes in the environment have directed the evolution of life and the rise of Man, and we can expect similar events in the future. If we are to control their effects, we will have to understand what to expect - and what could happen if we try to intervene in the 'natural' development of our home, the Earth.

This book is a collection of papers presented in the symposia, held in Beijing, on palaeontology and historical geology. The papers deal with different topics, providing information on Palaeobiogeography and Palaeoecology of Asian countries, their faunal content, and fossil preservation.

The south of Scotland has a long and turbulent geological past. Perhaps most notably, it marks the place where, 432 million years ago, an ocean, once as wide as the north Atlantic, was compressed by a convergence of ancient lands and then ceased to be. Deserts covered the land with thick layers of brick-red coloured rocks, known as the Old Red Sandstone, piled up and dumped by rivers and streams that crisscrossed the area. Around 432 million years ago, violent explosive volcanic activity gave rise to the prominent landscape features recognised today as the Eildon Hills. In later geological times, the area was blanketed with massive sand dunes, later compressed to create the building stones from which Dumfries, Glasgow and other towns and cities, were constructed. It is also the place where the modern science of geology was born. James Hutton, star of the Scottish Enlightenment, found inspiration from his study of the local rocks. Sites he described almost 250 years ago are still hailed as amongst the most historic and important rock exposures to be found anywhere in the world.

With the increasing awareness of environmental problems, there is a growing desire for a detailed understanding of superficial deposits in general, and glacial deposits in particular. This is because these sediments have a profound influence on groundwater protection, waste management and nature conservation. They are also of vital importance to civil engineering, because they provide the foundation for, as well as the materials extracted to build our roads and buildings. The greater part of the British Isles was glaciated, at least once, during the Quaternary Era. In the regions subjected to glaciation, glacial deposits underlie much of the present land surface. Although there have been many recent publications on various Quaternary geological topics, the present volume is the first dedicated to a detailed assessment of the glacial deposits of Britain and Ireland. After introductory chapters presenting the glacial history, the sedimentary sequences in 24 critical regions are discussed. These regions include all of Ireland, the glaciated area of Great Britain, and the adjoining offshore region of the North Sea. The controversial evolution of the Irish Sea Basin during the Last Glaciation is discussed from various viewpoints. A collection of 'critical topics' presented in the later part of the book range from the classification of glacigenic landforms and deposits to the results of geophysical, geotechnical and geochemical analyses. The book includes 368 figures, 40 tables and 51 colour photographs, a detailed index and a list of over 1000 references. With 45 contributions by 48 scientists, this volume represents a truly contemporary view of this field of research. Together with its companion volume the Glacial deposits in North-West Europe, this book provides an excellent textbook for the advanced student or the amateur, as well as an indispensible source- and guidebook for the professional scientist.

A gripping history of the polar continent, from the great discoveries of the nineteenth century to modern scientific breakthroughs Antarctica, the ice kingdom hosting the South Pole, looms large in the human imagination. The secrets of this vast frozen desert have long tempted explorers, but its brutal climate and glacial shores notoriously resist human intrusion. Land of Wondrous Cold tells a gripping story of the pioneering nineteenth-century voyages, when British, French, and American commanders raced to penetrate Antarctica's glacial rim for unknown lands beyond. These intrepid Victorian explorers-James Ross, Dumont D'Urville, and Charles Wilkes-laid the foundation for our current understanding of Terra Australis Incognita. Today, the white continent poses new challenges, as scientists race to uncover Earth's climate history, which is recorded in the south polar ice and ocean floor, and to monitor the increasing instability of the Antarctic ice cap, which threatens to inundate coastal cities worldwide. Interweaving the breakthrough research of the modern Ocean Drilling Program with the dramatic discovery tales of its Victorian forerunners, Gillen D'Arcy Wood describes Antarctica's role in a planetary drama of plate tectonics, climate change, and species evolution stretching back more than thirty million years. An original, multifaceted portrait of the polar continent emerges, illuminating our profound connection to Antarctica in its past, present, and future incarnations. A deep-time history of monumental scale, Land of Wondrous Cold brings the remotest of worlds within close reach-an Antarctica vital to both planetary history and human fortunes.

A comprehensive and scholary history of prehistoric and early Cardiganshire. This volume is illustrated with maps, line-drawings and photographic plates. It begins with the geography of the county, its flora and fauna, and traces the slow emergence of Man in prehistoric times. It reconstructs, from evidence much of which has only been recently discovered, the extent and nature of the Roman Occupation, and finaly the slow emergence of the kingdom of Ceredigion, the nature of its economic and social organization and political structures. The coming of Christianity, the settlements of the Saints and their priceless heritage, are also explored. The volume ends with the coming of the Normans. This is the first volume to appear in the County History which is being prepared by the Cardiganshire County Historical Society. The completed history will consist of three scholarly volumes designed to present the history of the ancient county from the beginning to the present day. Volume 2: "Medieval and Early Modern Cardiganshire", edited by Professor J. Beverley Smith and Volume 3: "Cardiganshire in Modern Times", edited by Professor Ieuan Gwynedd Jones and Professor Geraint H. Jenkins are in preparation and will follow at regular intervals.

Highlighting the latest research on Actualistic Taphonomy (AT), this book presents the outcomes of a meeting that took place in Montevideo, Uruguay, in October 2017. Its respective chapters offer valuable insights into South American archaeology, invertebrate and vertebrate fauna, and flora. In recent years, there has been a surge of new research on AT, as evidenced by numerous papers, talks, theses, etc. However, there are still very few AT books or even dedicated journal articles. Reflecting the discipline's newfound maturity, this book, written by South American authors, offers a unique resource for academics and students of Paleontology, Geology, and Biology around the world.

Ecuador's glaciers are situated close to the Equator in South America and thus can be considered to be among the best examples of continental tropical glaciation.. Originally published in 1981.

These proceedings contain selected papers from the Special Symposium, organised by the Argentine Association of Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies in October 2017. This Symposium was held within the frame of the 20th Argentine Geological Congress in Tucuman, Argentina. The papers describe detailed research on quaternary stratigraphy and geochronology, paleontology (diatoms, mollusks, foraminifera, palynology, phytoliths, paleobotany, vertebrates), dendrochronology, climate change, paleoclimate, pampeano quaternary paleolimnology, paleomagnetism, environmental magnetism, hydrogeochemical processes, geoarchaeology, geomorphology, structural geology and neotectonics, paleosurfaces, volcanism, risks, assets, geomorphosites, and digital mapping. This book follows the precedent book "Advances in Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies in Argentina" on the 6th Argentine Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies Congress, which was edited by Jorge Rabassa and published by Springer in 2017. It precedes a similar volume on the 7th Congreso Argentino de Cuaternario y Geomorfologia, "Geocuar 2018", as organized by Argentine Association of Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies (AACG). This conference was held in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, from 18 to 21 September 2018.

There have been significant changes in sea level over the past two million years, and a complete understanding of natural cycles of change as well as anthropogenic effects is imperative for future global development. This book reviews the history of research into these sea-level changes and summarises the methods and analytical approaches used to interpret evidence for sea-level changes. It provides an overview of changing climates during the Quaternary, examines processes responsible for global variability of sea-level records, and presents detailed reviews of sea-level changes for the Pleistocene and Holocene. The book concludes by discussing current trends in sea levels and likely future sea-level changes. This is an important and authoritative resource for academic researchers and graduate and advanced undergraduate students working in tectonics, stratigraphy, geomorphology, physical geography, environmental science and other aspects of Quaternary studies.