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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > The hydrosphere > Oceanography (seas)
Based on the IAG scientific assembly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this volume combines papers in the fields of gravity and geoid, geodynamics, and geodesy in Antarctica. The volume contains papers on recent progress in absolute and relative gravimetry, on models of the global gravity field, theoretical developments in physical geodesy, and many examples of regional gravity field and geoid models. Geodynamics chapters include papers on earth rotation and geopotential variations, reference frames and global deformations, as well as a section on the combination of space and terrestrial methods for deformation observations. The current status of geodesy in Antarctica is illustrated by a number of papers.
Computational methods and modelling is of growing importance in fundamental science as well as in applications in industry and in environmental research. In this topical volume the readers find important contributions in the field of turbulent boundary layers, the Tsunami problem, group invariant solution of hydrodynamic equations, non-linear waves, modelling of the problem of evaporation-condensation, the exact solution of discrete models of the Boltzmann equation etc. The book addresses researchers and engineers both in the mechanical sciences and in scientific computing.
Ten years ago, de Loor and co-workers at TNO, The Netherlands, were the first to report bottom topography patterns in real aperture radar (RAR) images of the southern North Sea. At that time, this was a real puzzle. The skin depth of microwaves for sea water is only of the order of centimeters while the sea bottom is about 20 meters below the surface. Electromagnetic radiation therefore cannot probe the bottom directly. Similar phenomena were found in radar imagery from SEASAT and SIR-AlB synthetic aperture radars (SAR's) of Nantucket Shoals, the English Channel and many other coastal areas. Since then theory and ocean field experiments (Le., Phelps Bank, Georgia Straits, SARSEX, TOWARD, FASINEX, etc.) have advanced our understanding considerably. We now know that these surface signatures are the results of surface currents, perturbed by the bottom topography, which refract the propagation and modulate the energy of (short) surface waves so as to cause microwave backscatter power variations. Hence, any large scale ocean features containing nonuniform surface currents (i.e. internal waves, eddies, fronts, etc.) will cause similar manifestations in the radar imagery by means of current-wave-microwave interactions. Observations confirm this.
Today western nations consume annually only a small percentage of their resources from the sea, despite the proclamation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) by many. In contrast, most Pacific Basin Countries obtain more than a quarter of their annual needs from the ocean. Determination of greater rewards from the development of marine resources is markedly inhibited by the limited technical abilities available to locate and assess them. Knowledge of Exclusive Economic Zone resources is schematic and generalised, and a detailed understanding of the geology and processes relating to the economic use of the seafloor is both fragmentary and very basic. Technology for mapping the mineral resources of continental shelves and ocean areas, except in active offshore hydrocarbon provinces, has been largely developed in pursuit of scientific objectives and competence to rapidly appraise economic potential is limited. Similarly, the capability to characterise and evaluate the other resources of the seas is rudimentary. The development of ocean resources will become increasingly urgent as the growth of the world population and the depletion of land reserves combine to enhance demand. Also, increasing environmental constraints will limit the availability of traditional land-based resources; nevertheless, new offshore development must proceed in a manner whereby the marine environment is not plundered but protected and conserved. The challenge to develop ocean resources with responsible environmental stewardship will require greater leadership than the development of the technologies of exploitation.
For the first time a state-of-the-art of present metal pollution along the coastline of Latin America is provided. This collection of papers from a conference held in August 1986 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is designed to inform readers of recent advances in an important, interdisciplinary field. Primary focus is on: - Metal Surveys, Metals in Sediments, Metals in Biota, Metal Transport and Cycles, Metal Monitoring. A final chapter combines conclusion, outlook and recommendations of how to master the critical situation of metal concentrations in coastal environments of Latin America. This book fills a long-standing gap in the literature and will be of prime interest to researchers, students and professionals in geology, biology and chemistry.
This summer school was a sequel to the summer school on Remote Sensing in Meteorology, Oceanography and Hydrology which was held in Dundee in 1980 and the proceedings of which were published by Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester, England. At the present summer scnool we concentrated on only part of the subject area that was covered in 1980. Although there was some repetit ion of material that was presented in 1980, because by and large we had a new set of participants, most subjects were treated in considerably greater detail than had been possible previously. The major topics covered in the present summer school were (i) the general principles of remote sensing with particular reference to marine applications, (ii) applications to physical oceanography, (iii) marine resources applications and (iv) coastal monitoring and protection. The material contained in this volume represents the written texts of most of the lectures presented at the summer school. One important set of lecture notes was not available; this was for the lectures on active microwave techniques, principally synthetic aperture radar, by W. Alpers from Hamburg. For this material we would refer the reader to "Imaging Ocean Surface Waves by Synthetic Aperture Radar - A Review" by W. Alpers, which is to appear as chapter 6 in "Satellite Microwave Remote Sensing" edited by T.D. Allan (Ellis Horwood, Chichester) which is to be published in 1983."
Through the writings of the world's leading experts in their fields, this book, first published in 1993, presents the general state of knowledge regarding the effects of climatic change on sea level and their associated impacts. The evidence for past sea level changes and their possible climatic causes on both geological and secular time-scales are reviewed, as are methods for improving observations of sea level changes. These observations examine greenhouse gas concentrations as well as oceanic thermal expansion on Greenland and Antarctic glaciers and ice sheets. Projections of global mean temperature and sea level rise over the next century are made, emphasising the uncertainties involved. A particular area of study is the low-lying coastal regions and the possible effects of severe tropical storms and storm surges. Case studies of the Ganges-Brahmaputra and Mississippi deltas, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and the Norfolk coast of the UK, among others document the regional and local scale where issues relating to sea level, physical environment and socio-economic effects are paramount.
Seabed fluid flow involves the flow of gases and liquids through the seabed. Such fluids have been found to leak through the seabed into the marine environment in seas and oceans around the world - from the coasts to deep ocean trenches. This geological phenomenon has widespread implications for the sub-seabed, seabed, and marine environments. Seabed fluid flow affects seabed morphology, mineralization, and benthic ecology. Natural fluid emissions also have a significant impact on the composition of the oceans and atmosphere; and gas hydrates and hydrothermal minerals are potential future resources. This book describes seabed fluid flow features and processes, and demonstrates their importance to human activities and natural environments. It is targeted at research scientists and professionals with interests in the marine environment. Colour versions of many of the illustrations, and additional material - most notably feature location maps - can be found at www.cambridge.org/9780521819503.
This is the second part of the translation of the original German text Meerestechnische Konstruktionen which was published by Springer-Verlag in 1988. The translated material is a reviewed and updated version of the German text. Wheras the first volume concentrates on general and external factors, this one focuses on factors affecting the design and analysis of offshore structures themselves. In an effort to address a wide audience the topic is presented in a general context. Therefore it introduces students and practising engineers to the field of marine technology and, at the same time, serves as a reference book for experts. Finally it gives specialists in related fields an idea of where their work on individual problems of offshore structures stands in relation to the field as a whole. Offshore Structures, Vol. 2 is based on the authors' lectures and design practice in offshore structures and their components. It assists the reader in developing practical solutions by introducing a large number of examples and reference is made to further specialised literature.
This volume reflects the present state of the study of the Mediterranean as carried out by the Italian scientific community. The multidisciplinary character of the papers creates different "transversal" reading and clustering possibilities that the informed reader is free to design and undertake autonomously.
Marine debris is a global pollution problem affecting marine life, maritime commerce and environmental quality. Scientists, policymakers and the public must be knowledgeable about the source, impact and control efforts if effective solutions are to be developed. Marine Debris addresses the origin of persistent solid waste in the ocean, from urban and rural discharges to waste from ships and the recreational use of oceans. The book identifies key issues from biological, technological, economic and legal perspectives, and gives a framework for controlling each of the main sources of marine debris.
Over the last decade or two marine scientists have become more aware of the role of freshwater outflow in coastal waters. Some have raised the question whether or not regulation of river flow may change the biological productivity in coastal marine ecosystems. The idea of organising a workshop to deal with this problem, arose from parallel concern in Norway and Canada, but it was soon recognised that the scientific interests were also shared by research groups in other countries. After the initial contacts had been made, it was agreed to establish a committee which should assist the workshop director in organising the workshop. The Organising committee consisted of K.F. Drinkwater, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada; S. Skreslet (workshop director), Nordland College, Norway; V.S. Smetacek, Institut fur Meereskunde an der Universitat Kiel, Germany; and H. Svendsen, University of Bergen, Norway. An Advisory committee was established to provide terms of reference for the Organising committee, with regard to the programme and selection of participants. This committee con sisted of J.B.L. Matthews (chairman), Scottish Marine Bio logical Association, U.K.; T.R. Parsons, University of British Columbia, Canada; R. S tre, Institute of Marine Research, Nor way; M.M. Sinclair, Fisheries and Oceans, Canada; and W.S. Wooster, University of Washington, Canada."
I was invited to write this book as part of the Minerals, Rocks and Organic Materials Series of Springer-Verlag by Professor Peter J. Wyllie in 1974. Ophiolites have preoccupied me ever since 1948 as a graduate student and up to the present time as part of my research with the U.S. Geological Survey. During this period ophiolite, an obscure European geological term, has attained an ever-increasing importance, is now used to include all fragments of ancient oceanic lithosphere incorporated into the orogenic zones of modern and ancient continental margins, and is a standard part of the plate tectonic paradigm. The purpose of this book is to provide a starting point for anyone interested in the background and state of knowledge concerning ophiolites (ancient oceanic lithosphere). Because ophiolites represent fragments of old oceanic crust their tectonic setting and age are extremely important in the reconstruction of ancient plate boundaries. Present day plate tectonic theories involve the generation and disposal of oceanic lithosphere, so that these ancient fragments of oceanic lithosphere can be used directly to reconstruct conditions within the ancient oceans. Since 1970, numerous meetings and conferences directly related to ophiolites have stimulated worldwide interest in the subject. As part of the International Correlation Program, the project "Ophiolites of Continents and Comparable Oceanic Rocks," was initiated by Dr. N. Bogdanov, Geological Institute, Moscow. This project has brought together an international group that has focused on the outstanding problems and is now producing a world map of ophiolite distribution."
Major structural features are used in this study to reconstruct the links which existed between North America, Europe and Africa before the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. The synthesis of geophysical and geochemical data as well as geological observations allows the recognition of the original geometry of the Grenvillian, Cadomian, Caledonian, Ligerian-Acadian and Hercynian foldbelts and the identification of ancient plate sutures. The reader will find a wealth of information based not only on the English but also on the French and Spanish literature, thus opening less known results to the international community.
Some 115 thousand years ago the world as we know it today shifted into a much colder glacial mode which culminated with huge ice sheets reaching as far south as New York, Berlin and St. Petersburg. The numerical climate models, used to predict the next century climate, were as yet unable to explain what happened. The reader of the book gains a detailed picture of what is known on the most important episodes of the past climate history, what to expect during the transition into a glacial climate mode, and which aspects and elements of the climate system seem mostsusceptible to change. The climate modelers will realize that the long term history of natural climate variations may hold important clues to the mechanism of climate changes which should be taken in account if the near future CO2 rich climate have to be predicted with any degree ofreliability.
"Dredged Material and Mine Tailings" are two of the same thing once they are deposited on land: they must be safe-guarded, wash-out must be prevented, and they must be protected by a plantcover. This comprehensive treatise covers both important aspects of their management: "In Chemistry and " "Biology of Solid Waste" the principles and assessment are scientifically studied and discussed, while "Environmental " "Management of Solid Waste" turns to the practical applications, such as prediction, restoration and management. Previously, dredged material was a commodity, it could be sold as soil, e.g. to gardeners. In the meantime, dredged material from the North Sea (e.g. the Rotterdam or Amsterdam harbor) must be treated as toxic waste. Many environmentalists, managers and companies do not know how to solve the inherent problems. This new work deals with the chemical, physical and biological principles; the biological and geochemical assessment; the prediction of effects and treatment; and finally, with the restoration and revegetation. It is written by many leading scientists in the various fields, and will prove invaluable for scientists, managers and politicians who are concerned with the present environmental situation.
Scientists who have had the opportunity of being associated with Professor Egon T. Degens, to whom this Festschrift is devoted, have been influenced by his ideas on subjects as varied as: extraterrestrial organic matter, origin of life, evolution of organisms, isotope biogeochemistry down to more imminent ones such as the carbon cycle and its implications on climate. This variety is also reflected in the papers in the present volume contributed by colleagues who have known Egon or have worked with him. Egon Theodor Degens was born on April 16, 1928 at Inden, Germany and had his education in Bonn and Wiirzburg. After a stint at the Pennsylvania State University he returned to Wiirzburg to help set up one of the first organic geochemistry laboratories in the world. This laboratory was the breeding ground for some of the eminent organic geochemists at work today. Later, he joined the California Institute of Technology and began his work on stable carbon isotopes, and later on biogeochemical compounds in natural waters. From California he moved on to the east coast, which led to yet another productive phase at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He was instrumental in the pioneering work carried out by the Woods Hole scientists in the Black Sea which is the largest anoxic basin in the world, and in the Red Sea where the first hydrothermal ore deposits on the seafloor were discovered.
The Mediterranean Sea, nestled between Africa, southern Europe, and the Middle East, may be envisioned as a complex picture-puzzle comprising numerous intricate pieces, many of which are already in place. A general image, in terms of science, has emerged, although at this time large gaps are noted and some areas of the picture remain fuzzy and indistinct. In recent years this fascinating, mind-teasing puzzle image has become clearer with individual pieces more easily recognized and rapidly emplaced, largely by means of multidisciplinary and multinational team efforts. In this respect, the Special Program Panel on Marine Sciences of the NATO Scientific Af fairs Division considered the merits of initiating four conferences bearing on the Mediterranean ecosystem. It was suggested that the first, emphasizing geology, should dovetail with subsequent seminars on physical oceanogra phy, marine biology, and ecology and man's influence on the natural Medi terranean regime. At a conference held in Banyuls-sur-Mer, France, in August 1979, Profes sor Raimondo Selli was urged by some panel members to initiate an Ad vanced Research Institute (ARI) that would focus primarily on the geologi cally recent evolution of the Mediterranean Sea and serve as a logical base for future NATO conferences on the Mediterranean."
Oceans have been the subject of scientific inquiry for hundreds of years, but significant study of mineral occurrences on the deep ocean floor has only begun to take place. Man's present knowledge of the ocean floor had to await the development of sophisticated research equipment capable of probing the ocean to great depths. This began in the 1940's and since then the accelerated pace of ocean research has generated a large amount of data on the ocean environment - mostly through the work of academic and governmental scientific organizations around the globe. These new scientific disclosures confirmed the wide-spread occurrence of metal-bearing lumps on the deep ocean floor that hold great promise as an important new source of raw material. Encouraged by these events, several groups of private, semi-private, and public enterprises became active; a transition occurred from scientific interest in the metal-bearing lumps to commercial interest. But these pioneer developers faced a formidable task. Information about the minerals and their environment of deposition was inadequate; technology for mining them continuously was non-existent and very little was known about the adaptability of processing technologies for land-based ores to these minerals.
The first three chapters of Vol. 3 of Bio-organic Marine Chemistry deal with the chemistry and function of peptides. Chapter 1 by Ireland and coworkers serves as an introduction to marine-derived peptides. It is arranged phyletically and encompasses the entire range from dipeptides to a compound with 95 amino acid residues. Peptides involved in primary metabolism and hence belonging to the realm of macromolecular biochemistry are excluded. However, it might be mentioned in passing that the dividing line between large and small molecule chemistry is continually becoming less distinct. Not only are more compounds of intermediate size, from 1,000 to 10,000 dalton, being discovered, but instruments and techniques, particularly in mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance have been developed for their structural elucidation by what is considered small molecule methodology. Two groups of peptides are discussed in separate chapters. Biologists who have observed and described the mating behavior of diverse species of marine invertebrates have long surmised that a chemical mechanism might be operating in many cases of individual as well as mass fertilization. The chemical activators of sea urchin sperm prove to be a series of peptides, whose structures and activity are discussed by Suzuki.
The study of the topography and structure of the ocean floor is one of the most important stages in ascertaining the geological structure and history of development of the Earth's oceanic crust. This, in its turn, provides a means for purposeful, scientifically-substantiated prospecting, exploration and development of the mineral resources of the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean has been geologically and geophysically studied to a great extent and many years of investigating its floor have revealed the laws governing the structure of the major forms of its submarine relief (e. g. , the continental shelf, the continental slope, the transition zones, the ocean bed, and the Mid-Oceanic Ridge). The basic features of the Earth's oceanic crust structure, anomalous geophysical fields, and the thickness and structure of its sedimentary cover have also been studied. Based on the investigations of the Atlantic Ocean floor and its surrounding continents, the presently prevalent concept of new global tectonics has appeared. A great number of works devoted to the results of geomorphological, geolog ical, and geophysical studies of the Atlantic Ocean floor have appeared. In the U. S. S. R. , such summarizing works as The Geomorphology of the Atlantic Ocean Floor [34], Types of Bottom Sediments of the Atlantic Ocean [24], The Geology of the Atlantic Ocean [38], and, somewhat earlier, Geophysical Studies of the Earth's Crust Structure in the Atlantic Ocean [13], have been published.
It is now well known that the mid-ocean flow is almost everywhere domi nated by so-called synoptic or meso-scale eddies, rotating about nearly vertical axes and extending throughout the water column. A typical mid ocean horizontal scale is 100 km and a time scale is 100 days: these meso scale eddies have swirl speeds of order 10 cm s -1 which are usually con siderably greater than the long-term average flow. Many types of eddies with somewhat different scales and characteristics have been identified. The existence of such eddies was suspected by navigators more than a century ago and confirmed by the world of C. O'D. Iselin and V. B. Stock man in the 1930's. Measurements from RIV Aries in 1959/60, using the then newly developed neutrally buoyant floats, indicated the main char acteristics of the eddies in the deep ocean of the NW Atlantic while a se ries of Soviet moored current-meter arrays culminated, in POLYGON- 1970, in the explicit mapping of an energetic anticyclonic eddy in the tropical NE Atlantic. In 1973 a large collaborative (mainly U. S., U. K. ) program, MODE-I, produced synoptic charts for an area of the NW At lantic and confirmed the existence of an open ocean eddy field and es tablished its characteristics. Meso-scale eddies are now known to be of interest and importance to marine chemists and biologists as well as to physical oceanographers and meteorologists."
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.
Four years have elapsed since the preparation of the original Russian version of this book. This is a long time when dealing with such actively expanding fields of oceanography as research into small-scale structures and the investigation of hydro physical processes. Over this period new quick-response devices have been developed and successfully used for measurements taken in various ocean areas. Improvements in high-frequency meters used to measure hydrophysical parameters has enabled workers to obtain more accurate absolute values of the fluctuations measured by such devices. In view of this scientific progress, some of the ideas presented in this book now require additional explanation. Great care should be used in dealing with the absolute fluctuation values of hydro physical fields, since the methods used for the determination of the accuracy of the high-frequency measuring devices have been imperfect in the past. Never theless, it would appear that the results of the investigations summarized in this book have not lost their importance, and that the established laws governing small-scale pro cesses in the ocean are of a sufficiently universal nature and, as such, have not been shattered with the qualitative and quantitative advances in devices used for measurements taken in oceans. The authors feel that their work is of interest to English-speaking readers. The appearance of the English translation of the book is, to a very large extent, due to the tremendous amount of editing work brilliantly done by Prof. H. Tennekes."
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