The advent of accessible student computing packages has meant that geophysics students can now easily manipulate datasets and gain first-hand modeling experience - essential in developing an intuitive understanding of the physics of the Earth. Yet to gain a more in-depth understanding of physical theory, and to develop new models and solutions, it is necessary to be able to derive the relevant equations from first principles. This compact, handy book fills a gap left by most modern geophysics textbooks, which generally do not have space to derive all of the important formulae, showing the intermediate steps. This guide presents full derivations for the classical equations of gravitation, gravity, tides, earth rotation, heat, geomagnetism and foundational seismology, illustrated with simple schematic diagrams. It supports students through the successive steps and explains the logical sequence of a derivation - facilitating self-study and helping students to tackle homework exercises and prepare for exams.

The Earth's magnetic field has existed for hundreds of millions of years, far longer than life has existed on Earth, and affects our lives in many ways. We can use it to orient buildings and navigate across unmarked territory. Moreover, it protects us from harmful radiation from space. Intended as an introductory guide for non-specialist readers, this book describes the historical importance of the Earth's magnetic field and its role in protecting the planet from harmful high-energy radiation from the Sun. With explanations of underlying physics of processes and references to original scientific works, the reader can explore the Earth's magnetic field and the various ways in which geomagnetics are used and measured, including the analysis of modern satellite-based investigations and the effects of solar activity on the geomagnetic field.

This enduringly popular undergraduate textbook has been thoroughly reworked and updated, and now comprises twelve chapters covering the same breadth of topics as earlier editions, but in a substantially modernized fashion to facilitate classroom teaching. Covering both theoretical and applied aspects of geophysics, clear explanations of the physical principles are blended with step-by-step derivations of the key equations and over 400 explanatory figures to explain the internal structure and properties of the planet, including its petroleum and mineral resources. New topics include the latest data acquisition technologies, such as satellite geophysics, planetary landers, ocean bottom seismometers, and fibre optic methods, as well as recent research developments in ambient noise interferometry, seismic hazard analysis, rheology, and numerical modelling - all illustrated with examples from the scientific literature. Student-friendly features include separate text boxes with auxiliary explanations and advanced topics of interest; reading lists of foundational, alternative, or more detailed resources; end-of-chapter review questions and an increased number of quantitative exercises. Completely new to this edition is the addition of computational exercises in Python, designed to help students acquire important programming skills and develop a more profound understanding of geophysics.

This enduringly popular undergraduate textbook has been thoroughly reworked and updated, and now comprises twelve chapters covering the same breadth of topics as earlier editions, but in a substantially modernized fashion to facilitate classroom teaching. Covering both theoretical and applied aspects of geophysics, clear explanations of the physical principles are blended with step-by-step derivations of the key equations and over 400 explanatory figures to explain the internal structure and properties of the planet, including its petroleum and mineral resources. New topics include the latest data acquisition technologies, such as satellite geophysics, planetary landers, ocean bottom seismometers, and fibre optic methods, as well as recent research developments in ambient noise interferometry, seismic hazard analysis, rheology, and numerical modelling - all illustrated with examples from the scientific literature. Student-friendly features include separate text boxes with auxiliary explanations and advanced topics of interest; reading lists of foundational, alternative, or more detailed resources; end-of-chapter review questions and an increased number of quantitative exercises. Completely new to this edition is the addition of computational exercises in Python, designed to help students acquire important programming skills and develop a more profound understanding of geophysics.

The Earth's magnetic field has existed for hundreds of millions of years, far longer than life has existed on Earth, and affects our lives in many ways. We can use it to orient buildings and navigate across unmarked territory. Moreover, it protects us from harmful radiation from space. Intended as an introductory guide for non-specialist readers, this book describes the historical importance of the Earth's magnetic field and its role in protecting the planet from harmful high-energy radiation from the Sun. With explanations of underlying physics of processes and references to original scientific works, the reader can explore the Earth's magnetic field and the various ways in which geomagnetics are used and measured, including the analysis of modern satellite-based investigations and the effects of solar activity on the geomagnetic field.

The advent of accessible student computing packages has meant that geophysics students can now easily manipulate datasets and gain first-hand modeling experience - essential in developing an intuitive understanding of the physics of the Earth. Yet to gain a more in-depth understanding of physical theory, and to develop new models and solutions, it is necessary to be able to derive the relevant equations from first principles. This compact, handy book fills a gap left by most modern geophysics textbooks, which generally do not have space to derive all of the important formulae, showing the intermediate steps. This guide presents full derivations for the classical equations of gravitation, gravity, tides, earth rotation, heat, geomagnetism and foundational seismology, illustrated with simple schematic diagrams. It supports students through the successive steps and explains the logical sequence of a derivation - facilitating self-study and helping students to tackle homework exercises and prepare for exams.

Geophysics is the physics of the Earth. Central to the Earth Sciences today, it encompasses areas such as seismology, volcanism, plate tectonics, gravitational anomalies, and the Earth's magnetic field (present and past, as captured in rocks), all of which give clues to both the structure and the working of the Earth. In this Very Short Introduction, William Lowrie describes the internal and external processes that affect the planet, as well as the principles and methods of geophysics used to investigate them. He explains how analysis of the seismic waves produced in earthquakes reveals the internal structure of the Earth. Geophysicists have established that the greatest source of energy powering geological processes is the Earth's internal heat. Deep inside the Earth, the temperature is high enough to produce a fluid outer core of molten iron. It is the motion in this molten iron layer that produces the Earth's magnetic field, which shields the planet against harmful radiation from the Sun and outer space, and thus makes the planet habitable. Lowrie describes how the magnetic field also magnetizes rocks during their formation, leaving a permanent record of the ancient field and its direction that geophysicists have learned to use to interpret past motions of the continents and tectonic plates. From analyses of Earth's deepest interior to measurements made from Earth-orbiting satellites, Lowrie shows how geophysical exploration is vitally important in the search for mineral resources, and emphasizes our need to understand the history of our planet and the processes that govern its continuing evolution. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Ever had one of those days, how about one of those weeks? If you haven't, you are missing out. I spent years priding myself in the fact that I was always with it, I always had my wits about me, until that day. My life changed and not just a little. I became someone else, someone who was far stronger than I am, someone who I could only hope to be. Ray Lafayette was a man who was neither rich nor famous yet I lived every day to see what he would do next. The fear I experienced in that time only made the happiness that much more exiting. I have heard the statement "Don't judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes." I walked many miles in his and can say with pride that he and all others from his time were the greatest, all colors, all nationalities, young and old, men and women alike. It may sound great to know the future but there is a dark side to it, an almost unbearable side. Your eyes will be opened to things your mind may not handle.This event has changed me. I no longer wish for things, I live for them.

Middle aged Australian man at a cross roads of life, by chance meets with an old friend who happens to a psychiatrist who believes he is indebted to this man way back when the main character of the book, Martin O'Leary was a child. He offers him counseling and draws the story out of him, which make up the story line of the book.

The national parks of North America are great public treasures, visited by 300 million people each year. Set aside to be kept in relatively natural condition, these remarkable places of forests, rivers, mountains, and wildlife still inspire our "capacity for wonder". Today, however, the parks are threatened by increasingly difficult problems from both inside and outside their borders. This book, enriched with personal anecdotes of the author's trips throughout the parks of North America, examines changes in the park services of the United States and Canada over the past fifteen years. William Lowry describes the many challenges facing the parks - such as rising crime, tourism and overcrowding, pollution, eroding funding for environmental research, and the contentious debate over preservation versus use - and the abilities of the agencies to deal with them. The Capacity for Wonder provides a revealing comparison of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and the Canadian Parks Service (CPS). The author explains that, while the services are similar in many ways, the priorities of these two agencies have changed dramatically in recent years. Lowry shows how increasing conflicts over agency goals and decreasing institutional support have made the NPS vulnerable to interagency disputes, reluctant to take any risks in its operations, and extremely responsive to political pressures. As a result, U.S. national parks are now managed mainly to serve political purposes. Lowry illustrates how in the 1980s politicians pushed the NPS to expand private uses of national parks through development, timber harvesting, grazing, and mining, while environmental groups pushed the NPS in the other direction. Overthe same period, the CPS enjoyed a clarification of goals and increased institutional support. As a result, the CPS has been able to decentralize its structure, empower its employees, and renew its commitment to preservation as the highest priority. Lowry considers several proposals to change the institutions governing the parks. His own recommendations are more in line with proposals to revitalize public agencies than with those that suggest replacing them with private enterprise, state agencies, or endowment boards. Lowry concludes that preserving nature should be the primary, explicit goal of the park services, and he calls for a stronger commitment to that goal in the United States.