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The book offers a wide range of research topics that are addressed with the aim of contributing to the knowledge of geomorphological hazards in the Himalaya. It is emphasized the integration of climate-driven morphogenetic and tectonic processes in the Nepal Himalaya as a substantial phenomenon of active collisional orogeny. The extreme dynamics of landform evolution in the Himalayan terranes triggers severe natural hazards and risks. Interdisciplinary research of geomorphological processes and events related to natural hazards in the Nepal Himalaya follows general efforts to reduce geoenvironmental disasters. Visual documentation is of particular importance in the conception of the book, which is intended for specialized researchers as well as students.

This book provides comprehensive studies from Middle East, African countries and Asia including Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and Turkey on groundwater management, modelling and monitoring. A broad approach such as modelling, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and statistical models was applied in arid and semi-arid areas for management of the groundwater. These new approaches are currently in high demand. The book delves into the applications of these methods and will be a potential asset to the researchers worldwide. The book is a timely publication containing chapters based on primary data or/and extensive review chapters comprising new emerging techniques. Current high-demand research on management through the application of modelling, artificial intelligence and machine learning is the main selling point of this book.

This book focuses on the environmental property of minerals including mineralogical record of environmental changes, mineralogical influence on the environmental quality, mineralogical evaluation of the environment, mineralogical processing of environmental pollutants and interaction between minerals and microbes. Understanding of the environmental property of minerals is a good supplement to the traditional concept of “mineral”. By demonstrating plenty of case studies with easy-to-understand figures and tables, this book introduces the environmental effects of interaction between minerals and microbes, physiological and ecological effects of biomineralization, reductive precipitation property of iron sulfide minerals, photocatalytic reduction property of sphalerite, photocatalytic oxidation property of rutile, tubular structure property of chrysotile, tunnel structure property of K-feldspar tetrahedron, tunnel structure property of cryptomelane octahedron, nano propertyof cryptomelane, crystallization property of jarosite, interaction between semiconducting minerals and microbes, pathological mineralization of human body, mineralogical processing of inorganic pollutants, mineralogical degradation of organic pollutants, mineralogical purification of smoke-type pollutants, mineralogical evaluation of soil environmental quality, mineralogical prevention and control of waste pollutants and mineralogical processing of mine tailings. The book is written for environmental mineralogist as well as postgraduates majoring in environmental science.

This book intends to decipher the knowledge in the advancement of understanding, detecting, predicting, and monitoring landslides. The number of massive landslides and the damages they cause has increased across the globe in recent times. It is one of the most devastating natural hazards that cause widespread damage to habitat on a local, regional, and global scale. International experts provide their experience in landslide research and practice to help stakeholders mitigate and predict potential landslides. The book comprises chapters on: Dynamics, mechanisms, and processes of landslides; Geological, geotechnical, hydrological, and geophysical modelling for landslides; Mapping and assessment of hazard, vulnerability, and risk associated with landslides; Monitoring and early warning of landslides; Application of remote sensing and GIS techniques in monitoring and assessment of landslides. The book will be of interest to researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers in adapting suitable modern techniques for landslide study.

This book describes the environment in Galicia (NW Spain), with researchers and professors presenting their own photographs of relevant aspects. This richly illustrated book explains atmospheric, geologic, water, soils, landscapes, and environmental issues and treatments for a broad audience, including students and the general public, to raise awareness and effectively develop strategies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

This book is the first to give a comprehensive and detailed overview of the complete physical geography of Georgia in English. It discusses natural and environmental conditions, hydrology, geomorphology, landscapes, and resources and elaborates issues of environmental protection, natural hazards, resource potentials, tourism and many other topics of this multifaceted country.This volume will appeal to researchers, educators and students in the fields of natural and environmental sciences, geography, geology, regional studies and related areas.

This book provides the first comprehensive overview of the most important water-related issues that centre on Italy, analysed from several disciplinary perspectives – such as hydrology, economics, law, sociology, environmental sciences and policy studies – in order to promote full understanding of the challenges the country is facing and the ways it could best tackle them.Despite the misconception that Italy is a water-scarce country, is in fact quite rich in water resources. Such resources, however, are unevenly distributed over the Italian territory. Italy's northern regions rely on quite an abundant quantity of freshwater, whereas in the southern area water endowment is limited. Moreover, climatic differences between North and South contribute to widen the divide. This disparity has notable consequences of socio-economic character, some of which, in turn, feed back into the environmental conditions of Italian regions: pollution, floods, landslides and droughts are among the problems affecting the country. There are numerous features of water use and consumption that distinguish Italy from other comparable countries, such as the significant role played by agriculture (a water-intensive activity), a lead position in the consumption of bottled water, lower-than-average prices of water and a far-from-optimal efficiency of waterworks. All such aspects, and many others, make Italy an essential case study.

This book explores sustainable development from the perspective of resources and energy, based on China's practical experience and cross-disciplinary research. It focuses on major challenges, key solutions and policy recommendations, and studies and explores seven important themes of resources, energy and sustainable development, including: 1) China's low-carbon energy transition, 2) China's urbanization and low-carbon development, 3) China's low-carbon action in cities, 4) China's low-carbon power transition, 5) China's water resources management, 6) electric vehicle development and key metal resources and 7) China's low-carbon development of the iron & steel industry. This book contributes to a more integrated understanding of many themes and their relationships in the area of resources, energy and sustainable development and guides the related policy and management.

This book honors the career of Professor Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch who was a pioneer and leader in the field of limnogeology since the 1980s. Her work was instrumental in guiding students and professionals in the field until her untimely death in 2016. This collection of chapters was written by her colleagues and students and recognize the important role that Professor Gierlowski-Kordesch had in advancing the field of limnogeology. The chapters show the breadth of her reach as these have been contributed from virtually every continent.This book will be a primary reference for scientists, professionals and graduate students who are interested in the latest advances in limnogeologic processes and basin descriptions in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and China.•Free supplementary material available online for chapters 3,11,12 and 13.Access by searching for the book on link.springer.com

This two-volume book provides a comprehensive, detailed understanding of paleoclimatology beginning by describing the “proxy data” from which quantitative climate parameters are reconstructed and finally by developing a comprehensive Earth system model able to simulate past climates of the Earth. It compiles contributions from specialists in each field who each have an in-depth knowledge of their particular area of expertise.The first volume is devoted to “Finding, dating and interpreting the evidence”. It describes the different geo-chronological technical methods used in paleoclimatology. Different fields of geosciences such as: stratigraphy, magnetism, dendrochronology, sedimentology, are drawn from and proxy reconstructions from ice sheets, terrestrial (speleothems, lakes, and vegetation) and oceanic data, are used to reconstruct the ancient climates of the Earth. The second volume, entitled “Investigation into ancient climates,” focuses on building comprehensive models of past climate evolution. The chapters are based on understanding the processes driving the evolution of each component of the Earth system (atmosphere, ocean, ice). This volume provides both an analytical understanding of each component using a hierarchy of models (from conceptual to very sophisticated 3D general circulation models) and a synthetic approach incorporating all of these components to explore the evolution of the Earth as a global system.As a whole this book provides the reader with a complete view of data reconstruction and modeling of the climate of the Earth from deep time to present day with even an excursion to include impacts on future climate.

This book provides thorough knowledge and detailed information of oil shales using a range of conventional and unconventional techniques and methodologies combined to elucidate the composition of oil shale deposits. As these rocks are mined for energy production their composition and mineral constituents are of special interests to individuals and communities that are likely to be effected by these resources when mined and processed. The book highlights the environmental and health hazards of the spent shales after processing. These are significantly greater in volume than the rocks originally mined before processing. Toxic metals tend to double and triple their concentrations in the spent shales and will be leached into water sources and soils.Since oil shales as an energy resource are totally uneconomical; all oil shales, their mining and processing are heavily subsidised by governments and institutions using taxpayers money.

This book employs a suite of remotely sensed products and advanced technologies to provide the first comprehensive space-based sensing of Lake Victoria, the world's second largest freshwater lake that supports a livelihood of more than 42 million people, modulates regional climate, but faces myriads of challenges. Proper understanding of the lake and changes in its physical dynamics (e.g., water level, shorelines and areal dynamics) resulting from the impacts of climate variation and climate change as well as anthropogenic (e.g., hydropower and irrigation) is important for its management as well as for strategic development before, during and after climate extremes (e.g., floods and droughts) in order to inform policy formulations, planning and mitigation measures. Owing to its sheer size, and lack of research resources commitment by regional governments that hamper its observations, however, it is a daunting task to undertake studies on Lake Victoria relying solely on in-situ “boots on the ground” measurements, which are sparse, missing in most cases, inconsistent or restricted by governmental red tapes. To unlock the potentials of Lake Victoria, this book argues for the removal of obsolete Nile treaties signed between Britain, Egypt and Sudan in the 1920s and 1950s, which prohibits its utilization by the upstream countries. The book is useful to those in water resources management and policy formulations, hydrologists, environmentalists, engineers and researchers.In a unique cross-disciplinary approach, the Book articulates the various climatic impacts and explanations from natural and anthropogenic origins, which affected Lake Victoria and its vicinity, including the drastic increase and depletion of water level in the Lake and dams, floods and droughts, water quality/security, crop health, food security, and economic implications. With no exception as in his many publications, Joseph L. Awange used data analysis methodologies including filtering, adjustment theory, and robust statistics, to quantify the hydrologic and other parameters, and their estimated uncertainties. The Book is recommended for readers from a diverse disciplines, including physical and social sciences, policy, law, engineering, and disaster management. Professor C.K. Shum, Ohio State University.

Harvard's acclaimed geologist “charts Earth's history in accessible style” (AP)“A sublime chronicle of our planet.'–Booklist, STARRED reviewHow well do you know the ground beneath your feet? Odds are, where you're standing was once cooking under a roiling sea of lava, crushed by a towering sheet of ice, rocked by a nearby meteor strike, or perhaps choked by poison gases, drowned beneath ocean, perched atop a mountain range, or roamed by fearsome monsters. Probably most or even all of the above. The story of our home planet and the organisms spread across its surface is far more spectacular than any Hollywood blockbuster, filled with enough plot twists to rival a bestselling thriller. But only recently have we begun to piece together the whole mystery into a coherent narrative. Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, renowned geologist Andrew H. Knoll delivers a rigorous yet accessible biography of Earth, charting our home planet's epic 4.6 billion-year story. Placing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we've been and where we're going.Features original illustrations depicting Earth history and nearly 50 figures (maps, tables, photographs, graphs).

This book brings together contributions from groundwater researchers and scientists on underground water resources in Egypt's deserts. The aquifers'quantity and quality are evaluated in many regions of the Egyptian deserts using established methods that can be effectively employed to investigate the potential for sustainable development in Egypt and similarly arid countries. The water resources in Egypt's deserts are subject to deterioration, mainly by land salinization and water deficiency.This book presents the best management practices, water quantity and quality, and optimal and sustainable usage of available groundwater. The book offers a unique guide for all readers interested in groundwater, modeling, and assessment for sustainable development in Egypt and countries with similar weather and water conditions.

This book is the first comprehensive review of the subsurface monitoring theory and practice. It presents all aspects of a subsurface monitoring system SM-NI to be organized in impacted areas of nuclear industry enterprises. The content of the book covers the whole set of the SM-NI projecting and implementation issues – from the theoretical and regulatory framework, through the description of the sources of impact on geological environment to examples of use the SM-NI to solve environmental problems on the main types of environmentally significant nuclear industry enterprises. Development of the SM-NI was based on long-term research studies including modeling of pollutants transport in the geological environment.The book is intended for a wide range of nuclear industry employees and specialists in environment protection and radiation safety of nuclear industry enterprises. It might be useful for ecologists, students and postgraduates concerned about environment protection inthe field of nuclear technology

A loving portrayal of our precious planet that offers easy-to-grasp discussions of scientific concepts and detailed examinations of Earth's tectonic, biological, and paleontological forces... Did you know that the history of Earth can be revealed by examining everything on it? From the esoteric science of minerals to the interactions between humans and their environment, our planet provides answers to every question we could ask about its history and what lies ahead. As climate change impacts everything we do on our planet, now is the time to take a closer look at what messages Earth has for us: what does it mean when the wind blows or the ground shifts? In this book, geologist Elisabeth Ervin-Blankenheim reveals the history of our planet through a geologic lens and explains why everyone should care about it. Song of the Earth is a thrilling biography of our planet that equips readers with the scientific, historical, and philosophical symbiosis between humans and Earth. Ervin-Blankenheim explores geologic principles of deep time, plate tectonics, and change in life forms in plain English. The book is illustrated with striking maps, diagrams, and pictures, allowing her to dissect everything from how a roiling, molten planet cooled to how the first cyanobacteria began to oxygenate the atmosphere to how the atmosphere has changed over time. Ervin-Blankenheim journeys through the science with ease and provides narrative sections about pioneering geologists and their groundbreaking discoveries. In viewing the planet as the integrated ecosystem it is, Ervin-Blankenheim showcases how land, water, life, and the atmosphere maintain an elegant yet delicate balance--one that, based on the author's evidence of current trends in the context of past planetary cataclysm, appears to be under imminent threat. At times both gripping and lovingly poetic, Song of the Earth shows not only how Earth has influenced life, but also how life has distinctly shaped our planet.

This book is designed as an excellent resource text for students and professionals, providing an in-depth overview of the theory and applications of downhole microseismic monitoring of hydraulic fracturing. The readers will benefit greatly from the detailed explanation on the processes and workflows involved in the acquisition design modeling, processing and interpretation of microseismic data.

This book presents selected papers from the 7th International Conference on Water and Flood Management,with a special focus on Water Security under Climate Change, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in March 2019. The biennial conference is organized by Institute of Water and Flood Management of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. The recent decades have experienced more frequent natural calamities and it is believed that climate change is an important driving factor for such hazards. Each part of the hydrological cycle is affected by global climate change. Moreover, increasing population and economic activities are posing a bigger threat to water sources. To ensure sustainable livelihoods, safeguard ecosystem services, and enhance socio-economic development, water security needs to be investigated widely in a global and regional context.

The book presents a comprehensive study of the percolation of water from surface runoff with a focus on the retention capacity and intensity of precipitation.Discussing the state of the art in scientific knowledge and solutions for the infiltration of water from surface runoff, the book addresses a wide variety of rainwater management issues, from precipitation, surface runoff and water infiltration, to impact on the drainage system. Although modern urban hydrology has improved the management of rainwater runoff for flood protection, public health, and environmental protection, current methods of drainage in urban areas mean that there is a continued threat to the regime of water flow and water resources. In this context, the book presents a new approach to rainwater management based on a unique fusion of hydrology, hydrogeology, urban engineering, and water management. It also includes research findings that are helpful in developing recommendations and technical guidelines for the use of infiltration systems in urban areas.

Dieses Buch begleitet Sie auf einer Reise, die bei den Grundlagen von Grubenwasser beginnt und Sie weiter über die korrekte Probenahme für eine Planung bis hin zu den aktiven und passiven Reinigungssystemen führt. In den jeweiligen Kapiteln erfahren Sie die wichtigsten Techniken über die zu messenden Parameter (z.B. Vor-Ort-Parameter, Durchfluss), welche Methoden es gibt, um Ihr Grubenwasser aktiv zu reinigen (z.B. Dickschlammmethode, Umkehrosmose, Ionenaustausch) und welche, um eine passive Reinigung (z.B. konstruierte Feuchtgebiete, Vertikaldurchflussreaktor, Carbonatkanal) durchzuführen. Auch bekommen Sie einen Einblick in die Nutzung von Grubenwasser. Erwarten Sie kein Kochbuch – vielmehr ist es eine Zutaten- und Utensilienliste, die Ihnen dabei hilft, das richtige Rezept zu finden. Eine erweiterte Hilfe dazu erhalten Sie durch die nahezu 1000 Referenzen zu allen vorgestellten Techniken. Ich habe dieses Buch für Hydrogeologen, Ingenieure, Graduierte in höheren Semestern, Behördenvertreter, Bergleute, Geoökologen, Chemieingenieure – im weitesten Sinne also für Sie geschrieben.

This book offers a comprehensive framework of the current state of water resources in Italy and of the main stages of the evolutionary way in the last decades for achieving an integrated, sustainable and equitable water resources management. The main paradigms of water resources development are identified as: i) engineering and economic approach to water resources exploitation, ii) focus on pollution control and water-excess management, iii) a comprehensive approach toward a sustainable and equitable distribution of resources and effective risk reduction of water-related disasters. After a section devoted to the analysis of some historic stages in the legislation framework and the governance of water and soil, with particular reference to planning, design, building and operation of water systems, two sections deal with the estimation of water resources availability on national territory and estimation of water demands in municipal, agricultural, industrial, ecosystem sectors. The complex problems that the Italian society has to solve in the water field and the main challenges of a changing world are discussed in the fourth section of the volume. The book will not only be useful for water professionals, but also for citizen who like to discern the key factors which delay the recognition of water as a resource for life. The description of the problems and adopted solutions could also serve as a guideline for similar situations encountered in other countries, improving the preparation of the responsible people.

This book reviews the latest water quality protection and water resources development strategies in Algeria. It covers topics such as the assessment and prediction of water quality, salt-water intrusion, treatment of wastewater for reuse, and desalination as an alternative source of water. The methods presented in this book can also be applied in other regions with similar climate conditions. Together with the companion volume Water Resources in Algeria - Part I: Assessment of Surface and Groundwater Resources, this book provides researchers with essential reference material on tools and techniques for water quality assessment, treatment, reuse, desalination, protection, and development, and offers a valuable resource for engineers, graduate students and policymakers who are interested in sustainable water resources.

This book reviews the latest information on the assessment of surface and groundwater resources in Algeria. The authors cover a large diversity of topics, including the status and assessment of water resources, impacts of pesticides, soil droughts, analysis of flood characteristics, hydrogeological investigations and modeling applications, and evapotranspiration. Special attention is given to the impacts of climate changes on water resources. The assessment methods present in this book can be used or adapted to study other regions of North Africa, Middle East and/or in the Mediterranean with similar climate conditions as Algeria.This book and the companion volume Water Resources in Algeria - Part II: Water Quality, Treatment, Protection and Development will appeal to engineers, researchers, graduate students and policymakers interested in the field of groundwater and surface water assessment.

This thesis provides multidisciplinary perspectives on changes in global mass transports, especially in the global water cycle. It investigates the current time-varying states regarding global sea level, terrestrial water storage, mountain glacier mass and highland crustal deformation, drawing on fifteen years of satellite gravimetry observation to do so. The results reveal tremendous changes in various aspects of the global environment, which are due to both anthropogenic and natural factors. Further, the research presented here sheds new light on underlying connections and mechanisms in the global mass transport system.

This book entitled'Physical and Mathematical Modeling of Earth and Environment Processes'is the result of a collaborative work after the 4th international scientific youth forum held at the IPMech RAS on November 1–3, 2018. The book includes theoretical and experimental studies of processes in the atmosphere, oceans, the lithosphere and their interaction; environmental issues; problems of human impact on the environment; methods of geophysical research. A special focus is given to the extraction of hydrocarbon resources, including unconventional sources. This book also focuses on new approaches to the development of hydrocarbon fields, very important in today's geopolitical conditions. The book presents new results of the experimental and theoretical modeling of deformation, fracture and filtration processes in the rocks in connection with issues of creating scientific fundamentals for new hydrocarbon production technologies.

This edited volume is based on the best papers accepted for presentation during the 1st Springer Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG-1), Tunisia 2018. This special volume is of interest to all researchers practicing geosphysicists/seismologists, students of PG and UG in the fields of multifaceted Geoscience. Major applications with relevant illustrations presented in the volume are from Middle East. And therefore, this book no doubt would serve as a reference guide to all geoscientists and students in the broad field of Earth Science. This volume covers significant applications of gravity and magnetic methods, electrical and electromagnetic methods, refraction and reflection seismic methods besides a large number of study on earthquakes, tectonics and geological settings etc. The salient features of this volume are the interpretation andmodeling of geophysical data of different nature. Main topics include: 1. Applications of gravity and magnetic methods.2. Electrical and Electromagnetic methods in mineral and groundwater exploration.3. Case studies on refraction and reflection seismic methods.4. Integrated geoscience applications in the exploration of subsurface resources.5. Hydrocarbon and petrophysical studies6. Earthquakes and seismic hazard assessment.7. Tectonics

This volume offers an overview of the state-of-the-art theoretical and practical approaches currently used for geophysical data interpretation. It includes new methods and techniques for solving data processing problems, and an analysis of geopotential fields by international researchers. It discusses topics such as: 1. Theoretical issues of interpretation of gravitational, magnetic and electric fields, including general methods of interpreting potential fields and other geophysical data. 2. Modern algorithms and computer technologies for interpretating geophysical fields. 3. The study of Earth deep structure using terrestrial and satellite potential field anomalies. 4. Geological interpretation of gravitational, magnetic and electric fields. This proceedings book is of interest to all geophysical researchers.

This book presents selected papers from the EuroKarst 2018 conference, which highlighted the latest advances in the field of Karst Hydrogeology and Carbonate Reservoirs. The event attracted more than 180 participants. From among their contributions, the papers were selected and subsequently reviewed by the scientific committee to ensure the highest possible quality.

This comprehensive atlas explains the genesis and evolution of impact known craters on Earth, presenting a wealth of radar images from the Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellites that were acquired at the same frequency, spatial resolution, operating mode, and illumination, allowing excellent comparison of different impact structures. It also discusses in detail the processes that have hidden or erased terrestrial impact craters, and clearly explains the basic principles of remote sensing and the COSMO-SkyMed system and radar instruments. Also, the optical satellite remote sensing technique used to produce the optical images is described. The main section documents each of the exposed craters officially recognized as caused by meteoritic impact, presenting a table with the COSMO-SkyMed radar image and, where available, a Sentinel optical image and a photograph taken in situ. A short accompanying text reports the location, context, geographical coordinates, and other ancillary information to support future researches.

This book provides an in-depth description of water resources of Turkey, a country with a unique geographical location, extending from the Mediterranean in Europe to the Middle East. Its varying geography, topography, hydrology, geology and climate are reflected in the diverse characteristics of its water basins. Furthermore, due to its geographical location, Turkey has a significant number of transboundary river basins and has to share its water resources with its neighbors, an issue that can sometimes lead to water conflicts.Turkey is also an interesting example of a developing country that is attempting to adapt to universal water management strategies while at the same time facing legal, institutional, economic and capacity development problems. It has long remained a water-rich country, but the situation is now changing due to the increasing population, inefficient use of resources, and the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.This book is useful for national and international organizations as well as water resources professionals. It takes on an added significance in the light of climate change in the region, water management problems and transboundary water basins.

This book includes the best-selected papers on the latest advancements in underground structures and geological engineering.The ongoing population growth is resulting in rapid urbanization, new infrastructure development, and increasing demand for the Earth's natural resources (e.g., water, oil/gas, minerals). This, together with the current climate change and increasing impact of natural hazards, implies that the engineering geology profession is called upon to respond to new challenges. It is recognized that these challenges are particularly relevant in the developing and newly industrialized regions.

This edited volume discusses scientific and technological aspects of the history of the oil and gas industry in national and international contexts. The search for oil for industrial uses began in the nineteenth century, the first drills made in Azerbaijan and the United States. This intense search for a substance to become one of the most important energy sources was, many times, based on skill as well as luck, resulting in knowledge and the development of prospecting and exploration technologies. The demand for oil improved expertise in geological science, in areas such as micropaleontology, stratigraphy or sedimentology and informed different disciplines such as geophysics. These contributions made possible not only the discovery of new oil fields but also new applications and methods of exploration. Beyond the scientific and technological aspects, an industry that grew to such considerable size also impacted the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and diplomatic issues in history. The book approaches these changes in different scales, countries, areas, and perspectives.This edited book appeals to researchers, student, practitioners in various fields from geology and geophysics to history. It is also an important resource for professionals in the oil and gas industry.

This volume presents up-to-date information on the status and assessment of water resources in Slovakia and methods for their development. The major themes include key facts about Slovakian water resources, their assessment and development; water supply and demand; irrigation water; groundwater; water and sediment quality with a focus on mining water; wastewater management in Slovakia; and rainwater management. The book closes with general conclusions and recommendations for future research. It is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers as well as for decision makers involved in sustainable development.

A non-technical (but serious) treatment of those parts of Earth history leading up to human history, as well as some pre-historical aspects of humanity. Many “events” in Earth's history necessarily preceded the emergence of human beings (and intelligence). Geology has provided us with a great deal of information about these various steps on the way to intelligent life, and how and why they were important. Some of these events were on a cosmic scale (no universe – no life!), some were planetological/astronomical (no Earth – no life), some were essentially chemical (how did life emerge in the primordial ocean and why do we have oxygen in the atmosphere?), and some were details of evolutionary history (how did life colonize the land and how did mammals develop?). In this book an enthusiastic professor of geosciences presents a broad introduction from the Big Bang to the present and into the future, lucidly explaining aspects from various disciplines to interested, non-specialist readers.

This unique volume offers an up-to-date overview of all the main aspects of groundwater in the Nile Delta and its fringes, as well as latest research findings. The themes covered include: · Nile Delta aquifer formation and its characteristics · The use of the groundwater in the Nile Delta and its implications · Sedimentology and hydrogeophysical characteristics · Groundwater investigations and aquifer characterization using current direct resistivity and induced polarization · Groundwater contamination and degradation · Saltwater intrusion and its control · Delineation of groundwater flow and seawater intrusion using various techniques, including one-dimensional subsurfacetemperature profiles, geoelectrical resistivity, and integrated subsurface thermal regime and hydrogeochemical data · Modeling of groundwater and of saltwater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer · Excessive pumping and groundwater quality assessment for irrigation and drinking purposes · Groundwater management for sustainability in the Nile Delta. The volume appeals to postgraduate students, researchers, scientists, professionals, decision makers and planners.

This book offers up-to-date information on the impact of climate change on water resources in Slovakia, the occurrence of drought and floods, hazards and protection methods. The topics covered include hydrological extremes, such as droughts and flood, in Slovakia; risk assessment and protection; sustainable management; and water management in buildings. The closing chapter provides general conclusions and recommendations for future research. It appeals to graduate students and researchers as well as to decision makers involved in planning future water resources in Slovakia.

This book presents and discusses the construction of mathematical models that describe phenomena of flow and transport in porous media as encountered in civil and environmental engineering, petroleum and agricultural engineering, as well as chemical and geothermal engineering. The phenomena of transport of extensive quantities, like mass of fluid phases, mass of chemical species dissolved in fluid phases, momentum and energy of the solid matrix and of fluid phases occupying the void space of porous medium domains are encountered in all these disciplines. The book, which can also serve as a text for courses on modeling in these disciplines, starts from first principles and focuses on the construction of well-posed mathematical models that describe all these transport phenomena.

This undergraduate textbook presents a unique comprehensive overview on Mathematics in Earth Sciences and Geography. It deals with fundamental theoretical and applied mathematics, needed by bachelor students in a wide range of subjects. The book is illustrated with many examples and over a hundred practical exercises, with solutions included in the book. In addition, this textbook highlights numerical resources by using two free software packages (R and Xcas) and introducing their use.

Chios Classics brings literature's greatest works back to life for new generations. All our books contain a linked table of contents. The Voyage of the Beagle is the book which helped bring great fame to Charles Darwin. The book details Darwin's experiences on the second expedition of HMS Beagle which lasted almost five years from 1831-1836. Published in 1839. The Voyage of the Beagle illustrates some of Darwin's views near the time he was developing his theory of evolution.

This volume offers a comprehensive analysis of the water resources in the Souss-Massa river basin in southwestern Morocco and provides novel water-management approaches to narrow the gap between supply and demand for water. It evaluates conventional water resources−surface water and groundwater−and discusses in detail rainfall harvesting into dams along the Souss and Massa wadis. Further, it explores topics including the geology of the aquifer; the risk of over exploitation; alternative water resources, such as desalinated seawater and treated domestic wastewater, as well as management approaches like Data Development Analysis and the SALTMED model. With a focus on linking scientific research to practical applications and the demands of agriculture and associated agro-industry, urbanization and tourism, which compete for the limited water resources, the book appeals to environmental scientists, geologists, engineers and environmental managers.

This practical guidebook provides a basic grounding in the principles of geology and explains how to apply them. Using this book, readers will be able to figure out whether they are standing on an ancient seafloor, coal swamp, or sand dune. They will be able to determine the geologic hazards in their neighborhood, where to look for fossils and minerals, or where best to drill a water well. In plain English, The Geology Companion sheds light on the processes that shape the earth and how geology affects people in their daily lives.

This book highlights various aspects of shale gas production and discusses the associated problems, which have greatly influenced the current situation on the global gas market. It focuses on issues such as production technologies, environmental protection, and the impacts of shale gas production on human beings. Further, it investigates the role of shale gas in the development and implementation of foreign policy of many nations that welcomed the possibility to produce this hydrocarbon in their own countries. Taking into consideration the information published by world energy research centers, the prospects of shale gas production in different regions of the world are examined in detail. Given its coverage and scope, the book will greatly benefit specialists in the areas of hydrocarbon production, international relations and foreign policy, world economics and technologies, ecology and environmental protection.

This book presents a balanced combination of practical and theoretical aspects of geoarchaeology. To do so, it gathers all the components of a natural framework (geology, relief, hydrography, climate, soils, flora and fauna), which have been analyzed from an archaeological perspective. While globally this is a highly developed and researched area, unfortunately in Romania it is still a largely neglected field of study, as limited funds are available. However, the country has a huge potential and international researchers have applied geoarchaeological methods and techniques and published results in numerous journals. This area is important because traces of the Chalcolithic population (Cucuteni culture) have been discovered here. The culture is considered to be the oldest one in Europe, and is highly significant for Romanian as well as European archaeology. The degradation of these settlements is the main core of the work, with illustrative case studies offering insights into the natural and, in some cases, anthropic effects on the sites.

This monograph provides valuable lessons in building disaster resilience for rural communities and beyond. With a focus on Florida, the authors present a comprehensive review of the current debates surrounding the study of resilience, from federal frameworks, state plans and local initiatives. They also review evaluation tools and feature first-hand accounts of county emergency managers as well as non-profit and community groups on key issues, including perspectives on vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and farm workers.Readers will find insightful answers to such questions as: How can the concept of resilience be used as a framework to investigate the conditions that lead to stronger, more sustainable communities? What factors account for the variation across jurisdictions and geographic units in the ability to respond to and recover from a disaster? How does the recovery process impact the social, political and economic institutions of the stricken communities? How do communities, especially rural ones, collaborate with multiple stakeholders (local, regional, state, national) during the transition from recovery to resilience? Can the collaborative nature of disaster recovery help build resilient communities?.The primary audiences of this book are scholars in emergency and crisis management, planning and policy, disaster response and recovery, disaster sociology and environmental management and policy. This book can also be used as a textbook in graduate and advanced undergraduate programs / courses on disaster management, disaster studies, emergency and crisis management, environmental policy and management and public policy and administration.

This book is a pioneering regional work and provides a balanced approach of theory and practice in disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Pakistan. The book analytically discusses the status of DRR and draws examples and lessons from national and community-level programs and projects and events in the country.The book covers different types of disasters facing Pakistan, including geo-physical and hydro-meteorological hazards. This work incorporates and draws some of the key lessons learned from the pre-disaster and disaster phases to the post-disaster phase, providing an effective framework in the form of those lessons. The rich content is based on a selection of available documents, a consultative workshop with academicians from different universities undertaking DRR higher education programs, and the editors'own knowledge and experience in the field. Special emphasis is given to analyzing field experiences from academic perspectives, and pinpointing key issues and the policy relevance of DRR.Disaster Risk Reduction Approaches in Pakistan is organized into three sections with a total of 20 chapters. Section one provides the outline and basics of DRR strategies applied at the national level with supporting examples from a global review. Section two specifically highlights the wide ranges of hazards experienced in Pakistan and presents examples, policy options, institutional set-ups, risk reduction strategies, and key lessons learned. The third section of the book is given to approaches and issues of DRR practices with examples of disaster responses.

This book explains how it came to be that Venus and Earth, while very similar in chemical composition, zonation, size and heliocentric distance from the Sun, are very different in surface environmental conditions. It is argued here that these differences can be accounted for by planetoid capture processes and the subsequent evolution of the planet-satellite system. Venus captured a one-half moon-mass planetoid early in its history in the retrograde direction and underwent its “fatal attraction scenario” with its satellite (Adonis). Earth, on the other hand, captured a moon-mass planetoid (Luna) early in its history in prograde orbit and underwent a benign estrangement scenario with its captured satellite.

The world is changing. Human population is surging towards 10 billion, food, water, climate and energy security are all at risk. Nitrogen could be our life raft in this global'perfect storm'. Get it right and it can help to feed billions, fuel our cars and put a dent in global warming. Get it wrong and it will make things a whole lot worse.

Everyone likes maps and maps are always used to illustrate the many books on the Antarctic. Here the focus is reversed with contemporary maps telling the story – one that should be attractive to the widest audience as it is a unique approach complimenting what has gone before and providing something different for all interested in Antarctica.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) have played important roles over the years in the disaster field. Starting from the traditional approach of response and relief, the emphasis has gradually shifted to disaster risk reduction. From international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to national and local NGOs, all stakeholders have recognized the significance of and need for community-based risk reduction. In their different capacities they have endeavored to establish links to the policy options at the local and national levels. There still are many issues that remain untouched by CSOs, however, and local CSOs face special challenges in resources in terms of human, financial, and technical issues. Drawing examples from Asia, this book is structured on the roles of CSOs according to the Hyogo Framework for Action priority areas: policy making, risk assessment, education and training, underlying risk factors, and response–recovery. The primary target groups for this book are students and researchers in the fields of environment, disaster risk reduction, and climate change studies. The book provides a clear view of the current trends of research in the field and furnishes basic knowledge on these important topics. Another target group comprises practitioners and policy makers, who will be able to apply the knowledge collected here to policy and decision making.

The title of this book, Traditional Wisdom and Modern Knowledge for the Earth's Future, is from the theme of the 2013 Kyoto Regional Conference of the International Geographical Union. Over the past few decades, globalization has strengthened connections among countries and regions of the world and has greatly changed existing geographies. However, this trend has also fostered various problems on a regional or global scale, such as economic imbalance, social fragmentation, political conflicts, and environmental crises. While acknowledging the world's diversity, geography as a discipline must endeavor to resolve these problems by devising plans for cooperation and symbiotic existence of the different peoples of the world. An old Japanese proverb, On-ko chi-shin, taken from a Chinese one, Wengu Zhixin, says that only by exploring the old can one understand the new. People should first understand how traditional ideas, linked to interaction between society/culture and the environment, were formed in different countries and regions. Traditional wisdom, in harmony with the environment, remains prevalent. This book examines how we can mold the earth's future through such traditional wisdom and modern knowledge from the nine keynote speeches of the Kyoto Regional Conference focusing on three topics: traditional wisdom, the environment, and the Great East Japan Earthquake.