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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > The hydrosphere > Oceanography (seas)
European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty
of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that
the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early
settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and
excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these
new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the
fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa
Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and
cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's
diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in
1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350
years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires
new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and
underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's
unique ecosystem.
In 1997 sixty-two containers fell off the cargo ship Tokio Express
after it was hit by a rogue wave off the coast of Cornwall,
including one container filled with nearly five million pieces of
Lego, much of it sea themed. In the months that followed,
beachcombers started to find Lego washed up on beaches across the
south west coast. Among the pieces they discovered were octopuses,
sea grass, spear guns, life rafts, scuba tanks, cutlasses, flippers
and dragons. The pieces are still washing up today.
World Oceans: A Reference Handbook offers an in-depth discussion of
the world's oceans. It discusses the marine life that is dependent
on the sea as well as the problems threatening the health of the
ocean and its wildlife. World Oceans: A Reference Handbook opens
with an overview of the history of human knowledge and
understanding of the oceans and cryosphere, along with related
scientific, technological, social, political, and other factors.
The second chapter presents and discusses about a dozen major
problems facing the Earth's oceans today, along with possible
solutions. The third chapter provides interested individuals with
an opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas on today's ocean
issues, and remaining chapters provide additional resources, such
as a bibliography, a chronology, and a glossary, to assist the
reader in her or his further study of the issue. Where most books
for young adults learning about world oceans take a purely
expository treatment, this book provides readers with additional
information as well as resources, allowing them to learn more and
inform further study of the subject. Provides readers with the
basic background they need about the oceans and cryosphere in order
to understand current problems Includes additional readings, a
comprehensive chronology, a glossary, and other additional features
to aid students' understanding of current issues and to guide them
in designing and conducting their own research on more detailed
aspects of the topic Offers ideas for additional research from a
list of important individuals and organizations Rounds out the
author's expertise in perspectives essays that show readers a
diversity of viewpoints
The year is 1973 and changes are afoot in Great Yarmouth and
Brokencliff-on-Sea as the New Year comes in with bang! Return to a
simpler time when family holidays at the seaside were still fun and
electronic devices had never been heard of. The only sound that was
heard was the gentle lapping of the waves, the gulls circling
above, and the trot of the horse's hooves along the promenade and
music from the funfairs.
Not far from Seattle skyscrapers live 150-year-old clams, more than
250 species of fish, and underwater kelp forests as complex as any
terrestrial ecosystem. For millennia, vibrant Coast Salish
communities have lived beside these waters dense with nutrient-rich
foods, with cultures intertwined through exchanges across the
waterways. Transformed by settlement and resource extraction, Puget
Sound and its future health now depend on a better understanding of
the region's ecological complexities. Focusing on the area south of
Port Townsend and between the Cascade and Olympic mountains,
Williams uncovers human and natural histories in, on, and around
the Sound. In conversations with archaeologists, biologists, and
tribal authorities, Williams traces how generations of humans have
interacted with such species as geoducks, salmon, orcas, rockfish,
and herring. He sheds light on how warfare shaped development and
how people have moved across this maritime highway, in canoes, the
mosquito fleet, and today's ferry system. The book also takes an
unflinching look at how the Sound's ecosystems have suffered from
human behavior, including pollution, habitat destruction, and the
effects of climate change. Witty, graceful, and deeply informed,
Homewaters weaves history and science into a fascinating and
hopeful narrative, one that will introduce newcomers to the
astonishing life that inhabits the Sound and offers longtime
residents new insight into and appreciation of the waters they call
home. A Michael J. Repass Book
The author examines natural disasters around the Pacific Rim
throughout history together with scientific data context to produce
enlightening-and highly readable-entries. On March 11, 2011, a
magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off Japan's coast, triggering a
powerful tsunami. The massive destruction that resulted proved that
not even sophisticated, industrialized nations are immune from
nature's fury. Written to take some of the mystery out of the
earth's behavior, this encyclopedia chronicles major natural
disasters that have occurred around the Pacific Rim, an area
nicknamed the "Ring of Fire" because of the volatile earth that
lies above and below. The encyclopedia offers descriptions of
deadly earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis through time.
The entries provide in-depth information that promotes an
understanding of the structure of the earth and earth processes and
shares the insights of scientists whose work helps clarify the
causes and effects of these cataclysmic events. At the same time,
the work examines how the people and cultures of the Pacific Rim
view this active part of the earth, how they live with the threat
of disaster, and how they have been affected by major events that
have occurred. Readers will come away with a holistic view of what
is known, how this knowledge was gained, and what its implications
may be. Features approximately 100 alphabetically arranged entries
with insights into specific disasters, technology, key geographic
features of the area, significant people, cultural beliefs, and
more Includes a general introduction and overview of the geography
and tectonic activity in the Pacific Rim countries Offers both
historical and scientific information Explains complex natural
phenomena and scientific concepts using nontechnical language and
clear illustrations Provides relevant cross-references to related
topics as well as to articles, books, and websites that offer
further information
This monograph aims at presenting a unified approach to numerical
modeling of tsunami as long waves based on finite difference
methods for 1D, 2D and 3D generation processes, propagation, and
runup. Many practical examples give insight into the relationship
between long wave physics and numerical solutions and allow readers
to quickly pursue and develop specific topics in greater depth. The
aim of this book is to start from basics and then continue into
applications. This approach should serve well the needs of
researchers and students of physics, physical oceanography,
ocean/civil engineers, computer science, and emergency management
staff. Chapter 2 is particularly valuable as it fully describes the
application of finite-difference methods to the study of long waves
by demonstrating how physical properties of water waves, especially
phase velocity, are connected to the chosen numerical algorithm.
Basic notions of numerical methods, i.e. approximation of the
relevant differential equations, stability of the numerical scheme,
and computational errors are explained through application to long
waves. Finite-difference methods are further developed in major
chapters to deal with complex problems that arise in the study of
recent tsunamis.
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