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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.

  • Solar Energy Conversion

    An Introductory Course
    • 1st Edition
    • A. E. Dixon + 1 more
    • English
    Solar Energy Conversion: An Introductory Course is a collection of papers that deals with the technical, mechanical, and operation concerns in converting solar energy. The title first details solar radiation, and then proceeds to discussing solar collectors. Next, the selection covers selective surfaces and the thermal regulation of buildings. The text also talks about planning of solar architectures. The next part tackles topics about the direct conversion of solar energy. Part VII discusses the control and measurement of collected solar energy, while Part VIII covers bioconversion and biomass. The book will be of great use to engineering and science students. Professionals involved in the research and development of solar technology will also benefit from the text.
  • Radiative Heat Exchange in the Atmosphere

    • 1st Edition
    • K. Ya. Kondrat'Yev
    • English
    Radiative Heat Exchange in the Atmosphere analyzes the concerns in thermal radiation and the radiation balance of the earth's surface and of the atmosphere. The text first covers the basic definitions and concepts, and then proceeds to discussing the development of basic theories of actinometric measurements of thermal radiation fluxes. Next, the selection deals with the absorption of long-wave radiation in the atmosphere. In the fourth chapter, the title covers the solution of the problem of radiative heat transfer in the atmosphere. Chapter 5 details the examination of the approximate methods of calculation of thermal radiation fluxes, while Chapter 6 discusses the problem of the atmosphere and the net radiation at the ground. The seventh chapter tackles the radiation balance, and the last chapter covers the features of the methods and the results of calculating temperature changes caused by radiation. The book will be of great use to researchers and practitioners of astrophysics and meteorology. Ecologists and other environmental scientist will also benefit from the text.
  • Geophysics in the Affairs of Man

    A Personalized History of Exploration Geophysics and Its Allied Sciences of Seismology and Oceanography
    • 1st Edition
    • Charles C. Bates + 2 more
    • English
    Geophysics in the Affairs of Man: A Personalized History of Exploration Geophysics and its Allied Sciences of Seismology and Oceanography describes many of the key and intriguing developments which took place within several major fields of geophysics. This book is composed of nine chapters that focus on the geophysical enterprise as an interplay of technical, social, and economic factors. After a brief overview of geophysics activity before the World War I, this book goes on the period of the so-called ""golden days"" of exploration geophysics. The succeeding chapter deals with the exploration geophysics during the global war, particularly the classical seismological activity during this time. These topics are followed by discussions of the geophysical activities from 1945 to 1960, as well as the introduction of oceanography field. Other chapters cover the interaction between geophysics and ecology, as well as OPEC during the period of 1970s and early 1980s. The final chapters consider the status and nature of geophysical exploration industry. This book will prove useful to geophysicists, historians, and researchers in the allied fields.
  • Sporopollenin

    Proceedings of a Symposium Held at the Geology Department, Imperial College, London, 23–25 September, 1970
    • 1st Edition
    • J. Brooks + 2 more
    • English
    Sporopollenin presents the proceedings of a Symposium held at the Geology Department, Imperial College, London, on September 23-25, 1970. The book discusses the functional roles of spore and pollen grain walls, the sporopollenin concept, as well as spore wall patterning. The text also describes the role played by sporopollenin in the development of pollen in Pinus banksiana; the morphological and fluorescence microscopical investigation on sporopollenin formation at Pinus sylyestris and Gasteria verrucosa; and primuline-induced fluorescence of the first exine elements and ubisch bodies in Ipomoea and Lilium. The ultrastructural and chemical studies of pollen wall development in the Epacridaceae; the implications on the nature of sporopollenin based upon pollen development; and the production of sporopollenin by the Tapetom are also considered. The book further tackles the resistance and stratification of the exine; the preservation of sporopollenin membranes under natural conditions; and a paleobiological definition of sporopollenin. The text also encompasses the aspects of sporin on the aromatization of sporin and the hydrogen density of the sporin of carboniferous lycopsids; the chemistry of sporopollenin; and some chemical and geochemical studies on sporopollenin. The petrology and geochemistry of sporinite; the application of diagenesis of sporopollenin and other comparable organic substances to hydrocarbon research; and the thermal degradation of sporopollenin and the genesis of hydrocarbons are also looked into. Botanists and microbiologists will find the book invaluable.
  • The Geology of the U.S.S.R.

    A Short Outline
    • 1st Edition
    • D. V. Nalivkin
    • Earl Ingerson
    • English
    The Geology of the U.S.S.R: A Short Outline is a 10-chapter text that considers the topographical features, the main stratigraphical description, tectonics, magmatism, and economic deposits of U.S.S.R. territories. The entire US.S.R territory covers an area of approximately eight and a half million square miles, or about one-sixth of the total land surface of the Earth. The first chapters explore the geological features of specific territories, including the mainland, Siberian platform, West Siberian lowlands, Ural Mountains, and Western Arctic and Timan. The remaining chapters deal with other territories, such as the Angara, Pacific Ocean, and Mediterranean geosynclines, Central Asia, and North-Western border of the Mediterranean geosyncline. This book will prove useful to practitioners of general geology, petrology, economic geology, and geography.
  • Principles of Zoological Micropalaeontology

    International Series of Monographs on Earth Sciences, Vol. 2
    • 1st Edition
    • Vladimír Pokorný
    • John W. Neale
    • English
    Principles of Zoological Micropalaeontology, Volume 2 highlights the morphological, phylogenetic and ecological analysis of microfossils. This book is composed of eight chapters that survey the most important microfossil taxa, their variety of form, evolution, relationships, and distribution. The first chapters describe the general morphology and characteristics of skeletal elements of main groups of sponges, melanoscleritoids, polychaetes, and conodonts. Other chapters deal with the anatomy, reproduction, ecology, phylogenetics, classification, and geological distribution of Ostracod and Echinodermata. The last chapters examine the morphological, phylogenetic, and structural aspects of class Ascidiacea and fish microfossils. This book is of great value to micropalaeontologist... zoologists, phylogeneticists, and taxonomists.
  • Environmental Oceanography

    An Introduction to the Behaviour of Coastal Waters
    • 1st Edition
    • Tom Beer
    • English
    Environmental Oceanography: An Introduction of the Behaviour of the Coastal Water covers the physical environment in coastal water. This book is composed of thirteen chapters, and begins with an overview of the coastal oceanography field. The succeeding chapters deal with the natural processes along the shore, the concept of wave and tides, water composition and circulation, and boundary layers. These topics are followed by discussions on ocean water flow, coastal meteorology, estuaries, and reefs. The final chapters present the application of direct and remote sensing and data analysis. This book will prove useful to divers, environmental managers, environmental administrators, and students.
  • Finite Element Simulation in Surface and Subsurface Hydrology

    • 1st Edition
    • George F. Pinder + 1 more
    • English
    Finite Element Simulation in Surface and Subsurface Hydrology provides an introduction to the finite element method and how the method is applied to problems in surface and subsurface hydrology. The book presents the basic concepts of the numerical methods and the finite element approach; applications to problems on groundwater flow and mass and energy transport; and applications to problems that involve surface water dynamics. Computational methods for the solution of differential equations; classification of partial differential equations; finite difference and weighted residual integral techniques; and The Galerkin finite element method are discussed as well. The text will be of value to engineers, hydrologists, and students in the field of engineering.
  • Seismic Safety Evaluation of Concrete Dams

    A Nonlinear Behavioral Approach
    • 1st Edition
    • Chong Zhang
    • English
    The consequences of a large dam failing can be disastrous. However, predicting the performance of concrete dams during earthquakes is one of the most complex and challenging problems in structural dynamics. Based on a nonlinear approach, Seismic Safety Evaluation of Concrete Dams allows engineers to build models that account for nonlinear phenomena such as vertical joint slippage, cracks, and cavitation. This yields more accurate estimates. Advanced but readable, this book is the culmination of the work carried out by Tsinghua University Research Group on Earthquake Resistance on Dams over the last two decades.
  • Interpreting Aerial Photographs to Identify Natural Hazards

    • 1st Edition
    • Charles E. Glass
    • English
    Authored by a world-renowned aerial photography and remote sensing expert, Geographic Aerial Photography: Identifying Earth-Surface Hazards Through Image Interpretation is the most practical and authoritative reference available for any professional or student looking for a reference on how to recognize, analyze, interpret and avoid – or successfully plan for – dangerous contingencies. Whether they are related to natural terrain, geology, vegetation, hydrology or land use patterns – it’s critical for you to be able to recognize dangerous conditions when and where they exist. Failure to adequately recognize and characterize geomorphic, geologic, and hydrologic dangers on the ground using aerial photography is one of the major factors contributing to due to natural hazards and disasters, damage to architectural structures, and often the subsequent loss of human life as a result. Aerial photographs provide one of the most prevalent, inexpensive and under-utilized tools to those with the knowledge and expertise to interpret them.