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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.

  • Antarctic Sector of the Pacific

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 51
    • G.P. Glasby
    • English
    The Antarctic Sector of the Pacific covers the area between Australia and South America south of about 45°S. The region comprises about 6% of the Earth's surface and is amongst the most remote, hostile and least studied of the world's oceans. The scientific importance of the region is derived from its role in the reconstruction of Gondwanaland, its influence on Pacific climate and palaeoclimate and its biological productivity. No systematic surveys of the region have been undertaken since the work of the U.S.N.S. Eltanin (1962-1972). The comprehensive reassessment of whale stocks by the International Whaling Commission in 1990 and problems with ratification of the Antarctic Minerals Regime attest to the importance of Antarctic matters at present.The book will stimulate scientific activity in the region and serve as a handbook for future research. It should also appeal to oceanographers and Polar scientists.
  • Water Management in Reservoirs

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 33
    • L. Votruba + 1 more
    • English
    This book introduces methods for solving the technical and economic problems posed by water reservoirs, so as to ensure they have the best possible economic and social effect. The significance of reservoirs and the development of their function in water management is assessed, and they are classified according to origin and placing. Among the methods for solving the reservoir's function, both graphical and numerical procedures are described, based on the probability theory and mathematical statistics. In the explanation of the supply function of the reservoirs, attention is paid to the processing of hydrological data, the respective probability distribution is assessed, the theory of stochastic processes is explained, and methods of modelling the sequence of mean annual and monthly discharges are mentioned. The demands of consumers and the reliability of water supply are analysed. All types of reservoir discharge control are presented, i.e. multi-year, annual, short-term and compensation. A solution is given for the discharge control in reservoir systems and in special cases of water management, as well as in individual reservoirs. To describe the flood control function of reservoirs, hydrological data are evaluated, the precision of the flood regime characteristics is assessed, the flood routing in a reservoir is resolved, and the question of flood control is discussed. Control of a reservoir is ensured by a special space, as well as by utilizing the supply and overflow components of the reservoir.A separate part is devoted to the water management operations of reservoirs, mentioning the rules for control of the discharge from reservoirs in permanent operation, mainly using central control, and for the study and evaluation of the water management function of reservoirs. The last part of the book describes solutions for new reservoir functions resulting from their incorporation into water management systems and their function in the environment. The basic types of water management systems are described, as well as conditions for their optimal operation. In a similar way, the distribution of investment and operation costs for the various parts of a complex water management project are discussed in detail, as well as the economic impact of the reliability of water supply and flood control. The physical, chemical, biological and social consequences of reservoirs and their significance in creating a cultural landscape are analysed.The book is mainly intended for those who are involved in the development, preparation and operation of water management schemes and students of graduate and post-graduate courses in the field of water management.
  • Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 22
    • E.C. Donaldson + 2 more
    • English
    The use of microorganisms and their metabolic products to stimulate oil production is currently receiving renewed interest worldwide. This technique involves the injection of selected microorganisms into the reservoir and the subsequent stimulation and transportation of their in situ growth products, in order that their presence will aid in further reduction of residual oil left in the reservoir after secondary recovery is exhausted. Although unlikely to replace conventional microbial enhanced oil recovery, this unique process seems superior in many respects. Self-duplicating units, namely the bacteria cells, are injected into the reservoir and by their in situ multiplication they magnify beneficial effects.This new approach to enhancement of oil recovery was initiated in 1980 and the first results were published in the proceedings of two international conferences. This book evolved from these conferences, and was designed to encompass all current aspects of microbial enhanced oil recovery: the development of specific cultures, increase of the population for field application, various methods for field applications and the results, and the environmental concerns associated with this newly developed technology. It provides a comprehensive treatise of the subject, and is arranged to show the laboratory development of microbes suited to microbial enhanced oil recovery and the perpetuation of the special cultures in a petroleum reservoir. Thus, this book has specific usefulness in the laboratory, the oilfield and the classroom. Although not written as a text book, it can be used as a reference volume for graduate studies in enhanced oil recovery.
  • Introduction to Micrometeorology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 42
    • Paul S. Arya
    • English
    This up-to-date textbook is highly recommended for introductory courses offered at undergraduate and graduate levels. Coverage begins with basic fluid and thermodynamical laws and concepts, then moves on to cover such major topics as momentum and heat exchanges with homogeneous surfaces, nonhomogeneous boundary layers, fundamentals of turbulence, and more. This book introduces the reader to theoretical concepts and quantitative relations through qualitative descriptions based upon observations.
  • Atmospheric Ozone Research and its Policy Implications

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 35
    • S.D. Lee + 3 more
    • English
    These proceedings describe the current state-of-the-art of ozone research. A wide range of topics is discussed including: emissions, transport and transformation of precursors of ozone and of ozone itself, the distribution of ozone, the deposition of ozone at the earth's surface, and its effects on man and the environment. Attention is also given to the role of stratospheric ozone and the role of the ultraviolet radiation which is transmitted through the ozone layer. Finally it describes in detail present and future policy measures to reduce the ozone in the lower atmosphere and to protect the ozone layer in the stratosphere.Many of the papers describe recent developments and new research results. Research carried out in both in Europe and in the United States is described, as are the policy measures which are being taken by both European and U.S. governments.
  • A Short Course in Cloud Physics

    • 3rd Edition
    • M.K. Yau + 1 more
    • English
    Covers essential parts of cloud and precipitation physics and has been extensively rewritten with over 60 new illustrations and many new and up to date references. Many current topics are covered such as mesoscale meteorology, radar cloud studies and numerical cloud modelling, and topics from the second edition, such as severe storms, precipitation processes and large scale aspects of cloud physics, have been revised. Problems are included as examples and to supplement the text.
  • Diagenesis, II

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 43
    • G.V. Chilingarian + 1 more
    • English
    Diagenesis is a highly developed, interdisciplinary field of study. It is reciprocal in that it borrows from numerous scientific or technological specialities and then, in turn, repays them with useful results. Too often, however, the information gained and concepts developed remain unintegrated instead of being utilized quickly by several related earth-science fraternities. This volume, the second of a multi-volume work, attempts to bring together such information, thereby assisting the individual and the research group in keeping up with the data explosion.There is no end in sight to diagenetic research because of its wide practical and intellectual appeals. Consequently, periodic reviews, such as presented in this volume, are greatly needed.
  • Green Marine Clays

    Oolitic Ironstone Facies, Verdine Facies, Glaucony Facies and Celadonite-Bearing Rock Facies - A Comparative Study
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 45
    • G.S. Odin
    • English
    Green Marine Clays provides a comparative study of four authigenic marine clays: the well-known glaucony marine facies; the newly-identified sedimentary facies - verdine; the old oolitic ironstone facies; and the celadonite-bearing facies.The book demonstrates that the sea bottom plays host to a variety of clay minerals specific to the marine environment: ferric di-trioctahedral ``serpentine'', ferric chlorite, ferric smectite, ferric mica, ferric ``swelling chlorite'', all widespread in present oceans and all fundamentally formed by crystal growth and recrystallization processes in semi-confined marine microenvironments.A unique feature of the book is the inclusion of the first detailed study of the verdine facies characterized by a variety of authigenic green clays, some of which are new clay mineral species widespread in all tropical oceans. The celadonite-bearing facies has been studied intensively in the last few years and new results are obtained from deep sea samples and from land outcrops. The current knowledge is synthesized and reviewed in comparison with the glaucony facies. A new approach is adopted in the description of the old oolitic ironstone facies in which a comparison is made with the recent verdine facies.The material is abundantly illustrated throughout by 133 figures and 59 tables; 36 of the figures consist of plates showing 170 selected pictures obtained at different scales of observation including the field, binocular microscope, thin sections, transmission electron miscroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction. A subject index completes the book.The information presented here will help geologists construct a clearer picture of environmental and depositional history of rocks. It will appeal to sedimentologists interested in the processes by which, and the environment in which, clay minerals form. Clay mineralogists will find much useful information on a variety of iron rich minerals, and geochemists interested in the iron in the sea and those working with sedimentary iron ores will also benefit from the book.
  • Groundwater Discharge Tests: Simulation and Analysis

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 37
    • D. Clarke
    • English
    This book describes microcomputer programs which can be used to simulate or analyse water production well and aquifer discharge test data. Computer graphics are used to help visualise the data, and output to plotters is also catered for. Simple confined aquifers, leaky confined aquifers, unconfined aquifers and a variety of boundary conditions are dealt with.The book and the microcomputer programs it describes will allow the reader to apply very flexible computer techniques to the analysis of his well and aquifer discharge test data. The speed of the microcomputer analyses will give the user the opportunity of looking at his data in more ways than he would otherwise be able to, thus giving insights into the data that would not otherwise be possible. The simulation programs permit the production of type curve data, which can then be used in comparison with the real data, or used in becoming familiar with the operation of the analysis programs.Although primarily intended for practicing hydrogeologists and universities teaching hydrogeology, this book would also be of interest to anyone having an interest in the effects of groundwater extraction. The programs will run on IBM PCs and compatibles with colour graphics.
  • Electron Microscopy in Microbiology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 20
    • English
    This volume of this acclaimed series deals with electron microscopic techniques applied for the elucidation of microbial structures and structure-function relationships at cellular, sub-cellular, and macromolecular levels. Many of the recent findings on ultrastructural features of microorganisms have been obtained with newly developed methods, though classical approaches have not lost their validity. Therefore, both conventional and new methods have been incorporated into this volume. The topics dealt with are meaningful not only in bacterial cytology but also in physiology, enzymology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, and include aspects of medical and biotechnological application.