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Books in Earth and planetary sciences

Elsevier's Earth and Planetary Sciences collection brings together pioneering research on the complexities of our planet and beyond. Covering topics from Earth's structural dynamics and ecosystems to planetary exploration, these titles support advancements in geoscience, environmental science, and space studies, offering essential insights for researchers, professionals, and students.

  • Advances in Geophysics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 54
    • English
    The critically acclaimed serialized review journal for over 50 years, Advances in Geophysics is a highly respected publication in the field of geophysics. Since 1952, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now in its 54th volume, it contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of geophysics.
  • Mid-Latitude Slope Deposits (Cover Beds)

    • 1st Edition
    • Birgit Terhorst
    • English
    Slope deposits are common in any inclined relief. So-called cover beds may veil entire landscapes, in which case they are commonly overlooked or confused with soil horizons. This book focuses on these widespread deposits and discusses their properties, genesis, and age mainly in subdued mountains of Central Europe, where to date most research on the matter has been conducted. The ecological consequences of such slope deposits on soils, slope water dynamics, and slope failures are addressed. Finally, transfer of the cover-bed concept to other mid-latitude regions is attempted for the reconstruction of landscape evolution. This unique compilation, covering several decades of a facies-oriented approach to slope-deposit research, delivers deep insight into the wide field of research on cover beds and encourages researchers all over the world to take an in-depth look at the critical zone as to its possible stratified nature.
  • Mineral Exploration

    Principles and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Swapan Kumar Haldar
    • English
    Globally, mineral exploration has grown significantly in recent years, driven by the rapid acceleration in prices for gold and diamonds since 2004 and the emergence of a middle class in both China and India—aggressively increased demand. Despite this resurgence, no single book has been published that takes an interdisciplinary approach in addressing the full scope of mineral exploration—from mining and extraction to economic evaluation, policies, sustainability, and environmental impacts. Mineral Exploration: Principles and Applications accomplishes this by presenting each topic with theoretical approaches first followed by specific applications that can be immediately implemented in the field.
  • Biogeochemistry

    An Analysis of Global Change
    • 3rd Edition
    • W.H. Schlesinger + 1 more
    • English
    Biogeochemistry—winn... of a 2014 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty) from the Text and Academic Authors Association—consider... how the basic chemical conditions of the Earth, from atmosphere to soil to seawater, have been and are being affected by the existence of life. Human activities in particular, from the rapid consumption of resources to the destruction of the rainforests and the expansion of smog-covered cities, are leading to rapid changes in the basic chemistry of the Earth. This expansive text pulls together the numerous fields of study encompassed by biogeochemistry to analyze the increasing demands of the growing human population on limited resources and the resulting changes in the planet's chemical makeup. The book helps students extrapolate small-scale examples to the global level, and also discusses the instrumentation being used by NASA and its role in studies of global change. With extensive cross-referencing of chapters, figures and tables, and an interdisciplinary coverage of the topic at hand, this updated edition provides an excellent framework for courses examining global change and environmental chemistry, and is also a useful self-study guide.
  • Dynamic Well Testing in Petroleum Exploration and Development

    • 1st Edition
    • Huinong Zhuang
    • English
    Data accumulation, analysis, and interpretation technology are critical in hydrocarbon exploration and extraction to maximize petroleum recovery and development. Dynamic Well Testing in Petroleum Exploration and Development presents modern petroleum exploration and well testing interpretation methods, emphasizing their application and development under special geological and development conditions in oil and gas fields. More than 100 case studies and 250 illustrations—many in full color—aid in the retention of key concepts. Extensive analysis of pressure data acquired from well testing through advanced interpretation software can be tailored to specific reservoir environments. This timely, state-of-the-art reference will be of particular interest to petroleum geoscientists and engineers working for oil and gas companies worldwide.
  • Geology and Sedimentology of the Korean Peninsula

    • 1st Edition
    • Sung Kwun Chough
    • English
    Written by one of Korea's most respected earth scientists, Geology and Sedimentology of the Korean Peninsula analyzes sedimentary facies, basin evolution, and sequence stratigraphy to provide answers to depositional processes and environmental changes through the Earth's history, including tectonic events, climate changes, and sea-level fluctuations. This is one of the first books covering the geology of the Korean peninsula. It offers an in-depth exploration of this region, which also allows comparison with sedimentary basins around the world. This is an important book for students, researchers, and professionals working in the geography of East Asia. The study of sedimentary basins can help advance basic understanding of how the Earth's crust developed, as well as offer insights into the influence of environmental and climate change. Sedimentary basins are also of interest due to their importance in the exploration and recovery of natural resources, including oil and gas, water, and industrial minerals.
  • Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems

    • 2nd Edition
    • Paul Selden + 1 more
    • English
    The first edition of Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems was widely praised for its coverage and approach in describing and illustrating 14 well-known fossil sites from around the world. The authors have now updated the text and added 6 new chapters with many new color illustrations. Following a general introduction to fossil Lagerstätten, each chapter deals with a single site and follows the same format: its evolutionary position and significance; its background sedimentology, stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment; a description of the biota and palaeoecology; a comparison with other similar Lagerstätten; and a list of relevant museums and suggestions for visiting the sites. This study of exceptionally well-preserved fossil sites from different periods in geological time provides a picture of the evolution of ecosystems through the ages.
  • Landscape Evolution in the United States

    An Introduction to the Geography, Geology, and Natural History
    • 1st Edition
    • Joseph A. DiPietro
    • English
    Landscape Evolution in the United States is an accessible text that balances interdisciplinary theory and application within the physical geography, geology, geomorphology, and climatology of the United States. Landscape evolution refers to the changing terrain of any given area of the Earth's crust over time. Common causes of evolution (or geomorphology—land morphing into a different size or shape over time) are glacial erosion and deposition, volcanism, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, sediment transport into rivers, landslides, climate change, and other surface processes. The book is divided into three main parts covering landscape components and how they are affected by climactic, tectonic and ocean systems; varying structural provinces including the Cascadia Volcanic Arc and California Transpressional System; and the formation and collapse of mountain systems. The vast diversity of terrain and landscapes across the United States makes this an ideal tool for geoscientists worldwide who are researching the country’s geological evolution over the past several billion years.
  • Ostracoda as Proxies for Quaternary Climate Change

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 17
    • English
    Ostracod crustaceans, common microfossils in marine and freshwater sedimentary records, supply evidence of past climatic conditions via indicator species, transfer function and mutual climatic range approaches as well as the trace element and stable isotope geochemistry of their shells. As methods of using ostracods as Quaternary palaeoclimate proxies have developed, so too has a critical awareness of their complexities, potential and limitations. This book combines up-to-date reviews (covering previous work and summarising the state of the art) with presentations of new, cutting-edge science (data and interpretations as well as methodological developments) to form a major reference work that will constitute a durable bench-mark in the science of Ostracoda and Quaternary climate change.
  • Unconventional Petroleum Geology

    • 1st Edition
    • Caineng Zou
    • English
    Unconventional Petroleum Geology is the first book of its kind to collectively identify, catalog, and assess the exploration and recovery potential of the Earth's unconventional hydrocarbons. Advances in hydrocarbon technology and petroleum development systems have recently made the exploration of unconventional hydrocarbons—such as shale gas, tight sandstone oil and gas, heavy oil, tar sand, and coalbed methane—the hottest trend in the petroleum industry. Detailed case studies act as real-world application templates, making the book's concepts immediately practical and useful by exploration geologists. The logical and intuitive three-part approach of systematically identifying an unconventional hydrocarbon, cataloguing its accumulation features, and assessing its exploration and recovery potential can be immediately implemented in the field—anywhere in the world.