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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.

  • Rates of Chemical Weathering of Rocks and Minerals

    • 1st Edition
    • Steven M. Colman + 1 more
    • English
    Researchers in geomorphology, geochemistry, quaternary geology, soil science, and mineralogy will welcome this volume, the first to focus exclusively on rates of silicate chemical weathering. Consisting largely of previously unpublished data from six countries, the volume examines the latest experimental, modelling, and field results. New information is presented on topics of current research interest, including inferences about chemical mechanisms at the level of mineral surfaces, and data relating weathering rates to landscape evolution over millions of years. The volume integrates the variety of approaches used by diverse subdisciplines in the assessment of weathering rates, and provides up-to-date references.
  • Gathering and Transportation

    • 2nd Edition
    • Volume 18B
    • Bozzano G Luisa
    • English
  • Marine Interfaces Ecohydrodynamics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 42
    • J.C.J. Nihoul
    • English
    These proceedings describe physical and biological observations (including remote sensing observations) made at such diverse marine ergoclines as pynoclines, fronts, water-sediment and water-ice interfaces in different locations and environmental conditions. Mathematical models are described which are used to investigate the phenomena, providing a common language for their interpretation and the bases of the ecohydrodynamic study of marine interfaces.
  • Groundwater Modelling

    An Introduction with Sample Programs in BASIC
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 25
    • W. Kinzelbach
    • English
    With the growing concern about groundwater resources both with respect to quantity and quality, the need for groundwater modelling tools is increasing. Although there are a number of excellent introductions to the concepts of groundwater flow and pollution transport, the student or practising engineer wishing to develop a model and do practical work on the computer finds that there is still a gap between the understanding of concepts and the ability to handle the actual computations. A great deal of groundwater modelling software for personal computers and microcomputers has appeared recently, but taking these models from the shelf and applying them without a background on their capabilities often leads to disappointment and frustration. This book provides the reader with all necessary details to start modelling on his own. It gives a comprehensive introduction to the major techniques currently used in the modelling of groundwater flow and pollutant transport in groundwater. Both self-contained and comprehensive, it presents a wide variety of methods currently applied in the management, protection, and remediation of groundwater resources, which allows the reader to take the step from understanding the concepts to the ability to handle actual computations. All major techniques are illustrated by a total of 19 sample programs in BASIC which can be modified by the reader to suit his own need. The programs can be run directly on an Apple II+ or compatible personal computer, and with slight modifications, most can be transferred to other microcomputers with BASIC capability and at least 48K of central memory. The necessary modifications for running the programs on an IBM-PC are indicated in the appendix.Students and professionals in the fields of hydrogeology and civil and environmental engineering will find this to be an extremely useful book. Knowledge of the basic concepts of hydrogeology is assumed and, starting from that basis, the book will enable them to understand mathematical groundwater models and write computer programs of their own.
  • Vitamins and Hormones

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 42
    • English
  • Soil Physics with BASIC

    Transport Models for Soil-Plant Systems
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 14
    • G.S. Campbell
    • English
    This book covers material taught in a graduate-level soil physics course at Washington State University. While most soil physics courses dwell mainly on deriving rather than solving the differential equations for transport, the author's approach is to focus on solutions. Graduate students in agricultural and biological sciences usually have a good working knowledge of algebra and calculus, but not of differential equations. In order to teach methods for solving very difficult differential equations with difficult boundary conditions using fairly simple mathematical tools, the author uses numerical procedures on microcomputers to solve the differential equations. Numerical methods convert differential equations into algebraic equations which can be solved using conventional methods of linear algebra.This book reflects the philosophy used in the course. Each chapter introduces soil physics concepts, generally in the conventional way. Most chapters then go on to develop simple computer programs to solve the equations and illustrate the points made in the discussion. Problems at the end of each chapter help the reader practice using the concepts introduced in the chapter. The problems and computer programs are an integral part of the presentation, and readers are strongly encouraged to experiment with each model until both the working of the model and the concepts it teaches are familiar. Although the programs are generally short and relatively simple, they are suitable for use as submodels in large, general-purpose models of the soil-plant-atmospher... system, and have been used in this way by the author and by several of his students.Teachers and students alike will welcome this new textbook. It will enable graduate students to understand and solve transport problems which exist in field situations, and will provide them with a good working knowledge of soil physics - fundamental to so many other areas in soil, plant and engineering sciences.
  • Soil Plasticity

    Theory and Implementation
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 38
    • W.F. Chen + 1 more
    • English
    This book is addressed primarily to civil engineers familiar with such traditional topics as strength of materials, soil mechanics, and theory of elasticity and structures, but less familiar with the modern development of the mathematical theory of soil plasticity necessary to any engineer working under the general heading of nonlinear analysis of soil-structure system. This book will satisfy his needs in the case of the soil medium.It introduces the reader to the theory of soil plasticity and its numerical implementation into computer programs. The theory and method of computer implementation presented here are appropriate for solving nonlinear static dynamic problems in soil mechanics and are applicable for finite difference and finite element computer codes. A sample computer model subroutine is developed and this is used to study some typical soil mechanics problems.With its comprehensive coverage and simple, concise presentation, the book will undoubtedly prove to be very useful for consulting engineers, research and graduate students in geotechnical engineering.
  • Advances in Geophysics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 28B
    • English
  • Soil Cutting and Tillage

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 7
    • E. McKyes
    • English
    After giving a brief history of tillage practices and implements used throughout the world dating back to ancient times, this book goes on to describe the basic soil mechanics techniques needed to calculate the forces developed in soil by simple-shaped cutting tools. The methods of measuring soil mechanical properties, water pressure in soil and shear rate effects are touched upon. A review is given of two and three dimensional soil cutting mathematical mechanics models to predict soil cutting forces and soil volumes disturbed by cutting and tillage tools, as well as the state-of-the-art of soil loosening, structural rearrangement and plant growth as affected by tillage tools. The author also includes an introduction to the analysis of traction machines. There are many numerical examples of mechanical analyses and predictions worked out in the various sections of the book as well as numerous unsolved problems at the end of a number of the chapters.Written in a textbook style, this monograph is ideal for anyone wanting to learn modern techniques for the mechanical description of soil cutting and tillage forces and soil volumes disturbed. It also provides a reference for analytical formulae and calculated force forces. It will be of interest to universities and colleges worldwide which have Agricultural Engineering Programs, Civil and Mechanical Engineering schools which specialize in soil mechanics and construction machinery as well as to research stations worldwide with interests in soil tillage, soil physics etc.
  • Advances in Geophysics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 27
    • English