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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.

    • Salinity and Tides in Alluvial Estuaries

      • 1st Edition
      • January 25, 2006
      • H.H.G. Savenije
      • English
      • Hardback
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      • eBook
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      • eBook
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      The book describes an integrated theory that links estuary shape to tidal hydraulics, tidal mixing and salt intrusion. The shape of an alluvial estuary is characterised by exponentially varying width and the absence of bottom slope. This topography is closely related to tidal parameters, hydraulic parameters and parameters that describe 1-dimensional mixing and salt intrusion. Starting from the fundamental equations for conservation of mass and momentum, analytical equations are derived that relate the topography to tidal parameters (tidal excursion, phase lag, tidal damping, tidal amplification), wave celerity, lateral and vertical mixing and salt intrusion. The book presents a review of the state of the art, a comprehensive theoretical background and ample case illustrations from all over the world. It provides tools with which human interference in estuary dynamics can be described and predicted, resulting from, for instance: upstream fresh water abstraction, dredging, climate change or sea-level rise. In describing the interactions between tide, topography, water quality and river discharge, it provides useful information for hydraulic engineers, morphologists, ecologists and people concerned with water quality in alluvial estuaries.Although the book can be used as a text book, it is mainly a monograph aimed at graduate students and researchers.
    • Cybercartography

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 4
      • January 12, 2006
      • D.R. Fraser Taylor + 1 more
      • English
      • eBook
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      For generations, the map has been central to how societies function all over the world. Cybercartography is a new paradigm for maps and mapping in the information era. Defined as “the organization, presentation, analysis and communication of spatially referenced information on a wide variety of topics of interest to society,” cybercartography is presented in an interactive, dynamic, multisensory format with the use of multimedia and multimodal interfaces. Cybercartography: Theory and Practice examines the major elements of cybercartography and emphasizes the importance of interaction between theory and practice in developing a paradigm which moves beyond the concept of Geographic Information Systems and Geographical Information Science. It argues for the centrality of the map as part of an integrated information, communication, and analytical package.This volume is a result of a multidisciplinary team effort and has benefited from the input of partners from government, industry and other organizations. The international team reports on major original cybercartographic research and practice from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including the humanities, social sciences including human factors psychology, cybernetics, English literature, cultural mediation, cartography, and geography. This new synthesis has intrinsic value for industries, the general public, and the relationships between mapping and the development of user-centered multimedia interfaces.
    • Information-Based Inversion and Processing with Applications

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 36
      • December 16, 2005
      • T.J. Ulrych + 1 more
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • Hardback
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      Information-Based Inversion and Processing with Applications examines different classical and modern aspects of geophysical data processing and inversion with emphasis on the processing of seismic records in applied seismology. Chapter 1 introduces basic concepts including: probability theory (expectation operator and ensemble statistics), elementary principles of parameter estimation, Fourier and z-transform essentials, and issues of orthogonality. In Chapter 2, the linear treatment of time series is provided. Particular attention is paid to Wold decomposition theorem and time series models (AR, MA, and ARMA) and their connection to seismic data analysis problems. Chapter 3 introduces concepts of Information theory and contains a synopsis of those topics that are used throughout the book. Examples are entropy, conditional entropy, Burg's maximum entropy spectral estimator, and mutual information. Chapter 4 provides a description of inverse problems first from a deterministic point of view, then from a probabilistic one. Chapter 5 deals with methods to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of seismic records. Concepts from previous chapters are put in practice for designing prediction error filters for noise attenuation and high-resolution Radon operators. Chapter 6 deals with the topic of deconvolution and the inversion of acoustic impedance. The first part discusses band-limited extrapolation assuming a known wavelet and considers the issue of wavelet estimation. The second part deals with sparse deconvolution using various 'entropy' type norms. Finally, Chapter 7 introduces recent topics of interest to the authors. The emphasis of this book is on applied seismology but researchers in the area of global seismology, and geophysical signal processing and inversion will find material that is relevant to the ubiquitous problem of estimating complex models from a limited number of noisy observations.
    • Geodynamics and Ore Deposit Evolution in Europe

      • 1st Edition
      • December 16, 2005
      • D. Blundell + 3 more
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      This book presents a new synthesis of the major metallogenic provinces of Europe and the geodynamic processes involved that can lead to the formation of world-class ore deposits. It represents the culmination of a 5-year research programme, GEODE, set up by the European Science Foundation, that brought together researchers across Europe from a wide range of disciplines into collaborative research projects. They focused on five metallogenic provinces across Europe; the Precambrian Fennoscandian Shield, the Upper Palaeozoic Urals, the Variscides of France and SW Iberia, the Alpine–Balkan–Carpat... belt and sediment-hosted deposits of Europe. Because of the long and well-known tectonic history of Europe and the diversity of ore deposits, linkages between geodynamics and ore deposit evolution have been established and new insights into mineralizing fluids and ore formation processes have been gained. Presented as a set of individual review papers and a final synthesis, this book offers a coherent and structured appraisal of geodynamics and metallogeny in Europe, with valuable lessons for mineral exploration and research throughout the world.
    • CROP Project

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 1
      • December 12, 2005
      • I.R. Finetti
      • English
      • eBook
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      CROP Project: Deep Seismic Exploration of the Central Mediterranean and Italy presents and discusses new data ranging from Alps to Africa, obtained by the CROP PROJECT (transcrustal seismic exploration of the Mediterranean and Italy). New lithospheric imagings of relevant importance for understanding disputed topics are provided. Alps, Apennines, Calabrian Arc, Sicilian Apennine, Maghrebian Chain, Corso-Sardinian Block, paleo-basins (Ionian, Alpine Tethys), neo-basins (Balearic and Tyrrhenian) are innovatively reconstructed.
    • Principles of Applied Reservoir Simulation

      • 3rd Edition
      • December 8, 2005
      • John R. Fanchi
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      The hottest, most important topic to reservoir engineers is reservoir simulation. Reservoir simulations are literally pictures of what a reservoir of oil or gas looks, or should look, like under the surface of the earth. A multitude of tools is available to the engineer to generate these pictures, and, essentially, the more accurate the picture, the easier the engineer can get the product out of the ground, and, thus, the more profitable the well will be. Completely revised and updated throughout, this new edition of a GPP industry standard has completely new sections on coalbed methane, CO2 sequestration (important for environmental concerns), Co2 Flood, more sophisticated petrophysical models for geoscientists, examples of subsidence, additional geomechanical calculations, and much more. What makes this book so different and valuable to the engineer is the accompanying software, used by reservoir engineers all over the world every day. The new software, IFLO (replacing WINB4D, in previous editions), is a simulator that the engineer can easily install in a Windows operating environment. IFLO generates simulations of how the well can be tapped and feeds this to the engineer in dynamic 3D perspective. This completely new software is much more functional, with better graphics and more scenarios from which the engineer can generate simulations. This book and software helps the reservoir engineer do his or her job on a daily basis, better, more economically, and more efficiently. Without simulations, the reservoir engineer would not be able to do his or her job at all, and the technology available in this product is far superior to most companies’ internal simulation software. It is also much less expensive ($89.95 versus hundreds or even thousands of dollars) than off-the-shelf packages available from independent software companies servicing the oil and gas industry. It is, however, just as, or more accurate than these overpriced competitors, having been created by a high-profile industry expert and having been used by engineers in the real world with successful and profitable results.
    • Forest Soils Research: Theory Reality and its Role in Technology Transfer

      • 1st Edition
      • December 7, 2005
      • Margaret Gale
      • English
      • Hardback
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      This collection represents a unique set of essays on the role of theory in shaping the practice of medicine across disciplinary boundaries. In the context of this volume, “theory” relates to the conceptual models, frameworks, knowledge representations, metaphors and analogies that inform the problem-solving efforts of practitioners seeking to develop novel dialogues both within and across disciplinary boundaries.Contribut... to this volume include computational scientists, chemists, medical researchers, biologists and philosophers, all drawing on personal experience in their respective fields to produce a genuinely interdisciplinary range of perspectives on the common theme of theory in medical thinking and multidisciplinary research practice.
    • Understanding Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic Biotic and Climatic Events

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 20
      • December 2, 2005
      • Jeff Over + 2 more
      • English
      • Hardback
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      • eBook
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      The Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic intervals are among the most dynamic episodes of Earth history, marked by large secular changes in continental ecosystems, dramatic fluctuations in ocean oxygenation, major phases of biotic turnover, volcanism, bolide impact events, and rapid fluctuations in stable isotope systems and sea level. This volume highlights contributions from a broad range of geological sub-disciplines currently striving to understand these critical intervals of geologically rapid, global-scale changes.
    • Advances in Gold Ore Processing

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 15
      • December 2, 2005
      • Mike D. Adams
      • English
      • Hardback
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      The gold processing industry is experiencing change. As free-milling and oxide ores become depleted, more complex polymetallic and refractory ores are being processed, coupled with increasing pressure for stricter environmental compliance. Recent years have also seen a steady reduction in mineral processing and metallurgy graduates and a gradual loss of older operating experience. A contribution to documenting current and future best practice in gold ore processing seems timely.The focus of this volume is on advances in current gold plant operation, from conception to closure; chapters also cover innovations at the bench and pilot-scale level that would be expected to find commercial application at some stage. Sufficient coverage is also given to the chemistry and engineering aspects. The general principle behind the structure of the volume is that of flowsheeting based on unit operations and applied to a mineralogical classification of gold ore types. From concept to closure, this book covers all unit operations, mineralogies and processes that are relevant to dealing with today's complex orebodies.Practical experience is vital to the successful development, operation and closure of any operation. The 42 chapters have been contributed by a total of 66 authors and co-authors who are experts from countries spanning the globe, and representing exhaustive practical knowledge covering many disciplines relevant to gold processing.
    • Precambrian Geology of Finland

      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 14
      • November 29, 2005
      • Martti Lehtinen + 2 more
      • English
      • eBook
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      Focusing on the Precambrian in the central part of the Fennoscandian Shield, the book combines the results from modern geological and geophysical research into a detailed petrologic, lithologic, and structural synthesis and interpretation of the Archean and Proterozoic of Finland. It will be of value to anyone interested in the evolution of the shield in particular and in Precambrian geology in general.