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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.

  • Biogeography and Plate Tectonics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 10
    • August 1, 1987
    • J.C. Briggs
    • English
    One needs to look at only a small portion of the enormous literature on plate tectonics published in the last 15 years to realize that there are many differences between the various reconstructions that have been presented. It becomes obvious that, although there is a general agreement about the presence of an assembly of continents (a Pangaea) in the early Mesozoic, there is considerable disagreement among earth scientists as to the configurement of the assembly and the manner and timing of the subsequent dispersal. While the revolution in geophysics was taking place, systematic work in paleontology and neontology was being carried out. This book is an attempt to incorporate the biological evidence into the theory of plate tectonics.The author traces the changing relationships among the various biogeographic regions and demonstrates how such changes may often be correlated with the gradual geographic alteration of the earth's surface. He analyses recent information about the distribution of widespread groups of terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates, invertebrates and plants, and discusses the biogeographical effects of the movement of oceanic plates.It is particularly important to obtain dependable information about certain critical times in the history of continental relationships. We need to know when the terrestrial parts of the earth were broken apart and when they were joined together. The present investigation makes it clear that we cannot depend entirely on evidence from plate tectonics nor will purely biological evidence suffice. This book thus provides much of interest to systematists working on contemporary groups of plants and animals, paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, and professors teaching courses in biogeography.

  • Principles of Ocean Physics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 38
    • July 7, 1987
    • John R. Apel
    • English
    In recent years, significant advances in both the theoretical and observational sides of physical oceanography have allowed the ocean's physical behavior to be described more quantitatively. This book discusses the physical mechanisms and processes of the sea, and will be valuable not only to oceanographers but also physicists, graduate students, and scientists working in dynamics or optics of the marine environment.

  • Surface Operations in Petroleum Production, I

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 19A
    • July 1, 1987
    • G.V. Chilingarian + 2 more
    • English
    This is the first part of a two-volume work which comes at a time when oil producers are taking a close look at the economy of oilfield operation and redesign of production technology to improve ultimate recovery. The very high cost, and risk, of the search for new oilfields demands the re-evaluation of production technology and reservoir engineering to improve the production characteristics of existing oilfields.It is the aim of this work that it will be instrumental in the improvement of the global enhancement of oil production and ultimate recovery. It is the outcome of extensive collaboration between experts in petroleum who have devoted their time to the lucid expression of the knowledge that they have acquired through experience in the evaluation and solution of field problems, and development of economic field processes. Oil production companies have been generous in their cooperation through assistance and encouragement to the authors and permission to publish data, designs and photographs.Together... the two books provide a detailed and comprehensive coverage of the subject. The physical and chemical properties of the fluids encountered by engineers in the field are clearly described. The properties, methods of separation, measurement, and transportation of these fluids (gases, condensate liquids derived from natural gas, crude oils and oilfield waters) are dealt with. Following a presentation of the fluids and their process technology, a series of chapters give a thorough discussion of every type of surface equipment that is encountered in the myriad aspects of oilfield operations, ranging from waterflooding to new enhanced oil recovery techniques. Included are all methods for pumping, water control, production logging and corrosion control. The coverage also extends to: well completion and work-over operations, methods for design and operation of underground gas storage, and a review of offshore technology.Surface Operations in Petroleum Production is therefore a comprehensive reference which will be invaluable for field production managers and engineers; as well as being an ideal text on production technology to complement the study of reservoir engineering.

  • The Lightning Discharge

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 39
    • June 17, 1987
    • Martin A. Uman
    • English
    From the Preface: In the 18 years since my technical monograph Lightning (McGraw-Hill, 1969; Dover, 1984) was first published, there have been significant advances in our understanding of lightning, but, until now, there has been no new monograph on the subject. A number of edited collections of papers and conference proceedings relating to lightning have been published during this period and are listed in Appendix D as well as being referenced, where appropriate, throughout the text... In the present book, the chapters are organized primarily by lightning process. Each chapter contains a reference list of essentially all literature on the subject discussed in that chapter, although all of these references may not be cited in the text.

  • Microcomputer Programs for Groundwater Studies

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 30
    • June 1, 1987
    • D. Clarke
    • English
    This book provides the practising hydrogeologist with a selection of microcomputer programs which the author has found to be very useful as an aid in the investigation of groundwater wells and aquifers. The programs are written in BASIC and are designed to suit as wide a range of computer as possible.The book begins with a group of programs which solve several of the most common functions encountered in groundwater science. These are then developed into programs capable of calculating drawdown in a variety of discharge rate/aquifer/boundar... configurations, either at one time, or a series of exponentially increasing times. The author shows how a computerised form of Newtons method (for solving difficult equations) may be applied to such tasks as evaluating storage coefficient if transmissivity is known. Lagrangian interpolation is used to produce accurate values from tabled functions, either within a program, or on demand.One of the major programs in the book may be used to enter discharge test data into a computer, edit it as required (e.g. change drawdown measurements from feet to metres, or water levels to drawdowns etc.), and finally to analyse the data. For example, three different methods are provided for evaluation of the well equation. Another program is provided for controlling a plotter to produce several popular types of discharge test graphs; and a new image well method is included for simulating boundaries consisting of straight line junctions between areas of two different transmissivities.Thi... is a practical book, written to solve real-life problems. Accordingly, program operation is clearly described, but derivation of equations and functions have been omitted. (For those readers wishing to check on derivations, references are provided). Readers familiar with microcomputer programming may apply the programs given here to their own work, perhaps incorporating them as subroutines into large, more specialized programs. Those unfamiliar with programming can use the programs as they are listed. All programs are designed to be run with no more than an occasional reference to the written instructions being necessary.

  • Antarctica: Soils, Weathering Processes and Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 16
    • June 1, 1987
    • I.B. Campbell + 1 more
    • English

  • Hydraulic Processes on Alluvial Fans

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 31
    • June 1, 1987
    • R.H. French
    • English
    Alluvial fans are among the most prominent landscape features in the American Southwest and throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the world. The importance of developing a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the hydraulic processes which formed, and which continue to modify, these features derives from their rapid and significant development over the past four decades. As unplanned urban sprawl has moved from valley floors onto alluvial fans, the serious damage incurred from infrequent flow events has dramatically increased.This book presents a concise, coherent discussion of our current and rapidly expanding knowledge of hydraulic processes on alluvial fans. It addresses the subject from a multidisciplinary viewpoint, acquainting the geologist with engineering principles, and the civil engineer and planner with geological principles pertinent to the analysis of hydraulic processes on alluvial fans. The book thus provides much of interest to geologists, civil engineers and planners involved in floodplain management and drainage design in arid and semi-arid regions.

  • Remote Sensing in Soil Science

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 15
    • May 1, 1987
    • M.A. Mulders
    • English
    This book provides comprehensive coverage of remote sensing techniques and their application in soil science. A clear, step-by-step approach to the various aspects ensures that the reader will gain a good grasp of the subject so that he can apply the techniques to his own field of study.The book opens with a thorough introduction to the physical aspects of electromagnetic radiation and the technical aspects of remote sensing and image processing. This is followed by a discussion of the methods for interpreting remote sensing data, and their application to soils, vegetation, and land as a whole.As the interpretation of soil conditions is based on many aspects (i.e. soil surface, vegetation, land use, land form), the scope of the book is correspondingly broad. It will therefore provide much useful information for students and scientists in soil science, geography, geology, hydrology, ecology, agriculture and civil engineering.

  • Three-Dimensional Models of Marine and Estuarine Dynamics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 45
    • May 1, 1987
    • J.C.J. Nihoul + 1 more
    • English
    These proceedings represent the most recent and complete state of the art review of three-dimensional models of the modern generation for the study of marine hydrodynamics and management of the marine system. The book is well illustrated by application to well-documented case studies.

  • The Interpretation of Logging Data

    Part B
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 15B
    • May 1, 1987
    • English
    Conceived and written by a geologist for geologists, Fundamentals of Well-Log Interpretation is a considerably revised and updated translation of the French edition. Part 1 dealt with the acquisition of logging data and when it appeared, one reviewer wrote: ``Serra has written a major reference work which is unusually well-organized, well-illustrated, and information-rich... If volume 2 is as thorough and exacting in detail as volume 1, it will do much toward furthering geologists' knowledge of well logging.'' (AAPG Bulletin).The fundamental objective of this second volume is to show that wireline log data constitute a remarkable source of geological information of the utmost importance for geologists, but also for reservoir engineers, geophysicists and petrophysicists. Too often, by nature of their training, geologists do not realize that wireline log data, which are physical data, hold in fact a tremendous variety of geological information covering practically all branches of geology. They are reluctant to use these data because often they are not familiar with them and do not know how to interpret wireline logs. Other log users generally do not realize the importance of geological knowledge to better interpret logs.This book aims to fill the gap by showing how wireline log data are dependent on geological parameters and how to extract the latter from the former. Methods of extracting the desired information from the wireline log data are explained and illustrated. In summary, the book explains how to make good geological studies from wireline logs. It is an invaluable acquisition for geologists, petrophysicists, reservoir engineers and geophysicists who wish to make better use of wireline log data.

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