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Elsevier

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.

  • Energy at the Surface of the Earth

    An Introduction to the Energetics of Ecosystems
    • 1st Edition
    • David H. Miller
    • J. Van Mieghem + 1 more
    • English
    Energy at the Surface of the Earth: An Introduction to the Energetics of Ecosystems presents way of looking at the manner in which the biological, physical, and cultural systems that mantle the landmasses of our planet receive, transform, and give off energy, which is an essential condition of existence that takes many forms. Energy conversions establish the climate in which these systems operate. The principal forms of energy that are converted at the ecosystem scale include radiant, latent, mechanical, chemical and fossil, and thermal. The book begins with radiant energy absorbed by ecosystems—a phenomenon that is independent of their surface temperature and that can be looked on as a burden or a gift, depending on circumstances. An increase in such absorption raises surface temperature, as described in the fulcrum chapter of the book, Chapter VIII. This increase in turn sets into action outflows of energy that by the first law of thermodynamics are equal in energy units, although not necessarily equal in quality to the inflows. The final chapters deal with vertical stratification and areal contrasts in energy budgets, the augmented energy budget of the city, and the responses that serve to keep the budget balanced.

  • Atmosphere—Ocean Dynamics

    • 1st Edition
    • Adrian E. Gill
    • William L. Donn
    • English
    Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics deals with a systematic and unified approach to the dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere. The book reviews the relationship of the ocean-atmosphere and how this system functions. The text explains this system through radiative equilibrium models; the book also considers the greenhouse effect, the effects of convection and of horizontal gradients, and the variability in radiative driving of the earth. Equations in the book show the properties of a material element, mass conservation, the balance of scalar quantity (such as salinity), and the mathematical behavior of the ocean and atmosphere. The book also addresses how the ocean-atmosphere system tends to adjust to equilibrium, both in the absence and presence of driving forces such as gravity. The text also explains the effect of the earth's rotation on the system, as well as the application of forced motions such as that produced by wind or temperature changes. The book explains tropical dynamics and the effects of variation of the Coriolis parameter with latitude. The text will be appreciated by meteorologists, environmentalists, students studying hydrology, and people working in general earth sciences.

  • The Geology of the Canary Islands

    • 1st Edition
    • Valentin R. Troll + 1 more
    • English
    The Geology of the Canary Islands provides a concise overview of the geology and volcanology of the Canary Islands, along with 27 carefully planned day excursions comprising trips on all of the islands. Each stop includes a description on how to approach a site and where to park with GPS locations provided. The book covers all the spectacular features of the islands, including active ocean island volcanoes whose origins are linked to a hot spot or plume causing anomalously hot mantle material to intrude the African plate, submarine volcanic sequences uplifted inside the islands, sub- aerial shield volcanoes, and the remains of giant lateral collapses. Through its clearly written and richly color-illustrated introduction and field guide, this book is essential reading for geologists who visit the Canary Islands, one of the largest and most fascinating active volcanic systems in Europe.

  • Volcanic Ash

    Hazard Observation
    • 1st Edition
    • Shona Mackie + 4 more
    • English
    Volcanic Ash: Hazard Observation presents an introduction followed by four sections, each on a separate topic and each containing chapters from an internationally renowned pool of authors. The introduction provides a volcanological context for ash generation that sets the stage for the development and interpretation of techniques presented in subsequent sections. The book begins with an examination of the methods to characterize ash deposits on the ground, as ash deposits on the ground have generally experienced some atmospheric transport. This section will also cover basic information on ash morphology, density, and refractive index, all parameters required to understand and analyze assumptions made for both in situ measurements and remote sensing ash inversion techniques. Sections two, three, and four focus on methods for observing volcanic ash in the atmosphere using ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne instruments respectively. Throughout the book, the editors showcase not only the interdisciplinary nature of the volcanic ash problem, but also the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary endeavors. Additionally, by bringing together a broad perspective on volcanic ash studies, the book not only ties together ground-, air-, academic, and applied approaches to the volcanic ash problem, but also engages with other scientific communities interested in particulate transport.

  • Propagation of Transient Elastic Waves in Stratified Anisotropic Media

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 32
    • J.H.M.T. van der Hijden
    • English
    Seismic waves are one of the standard diagnostic tools used to determine the mechanical parameters (volume density of mass, compressibility, elastic stiffness) in the interior of the earth and the geometry of subsurface structures. There is increasing evidence that in the interpretation of seismic data - especially shear-wave data - the influence of anisotropy must be taken into account.This volume presents a method to compute the seismic waves that are generated by an impulsive source in a stratified anisotropic medium. Although written with the seismic applications in mind, the method that is developed is not limited to solid-earth geophysics. In fact, the methods discussed in this monograph are applicable wherever waves propagate in stratified, anisotropic media. The standard approach to this problem is to employ Fourier transformations with respect to time and with respect to the horizontal spatial coordinates. To obtain numerical results, the relevant inverse transformations then have to be evaluated numerically. In this monograph the problem is, in contrast to the standard approach, solved by applying the Cagniard-de Hoop method and by representing the wave field as a sum of generalized rays. With this method, the computational results can be obtained relatively easily with any degree of accuracy, and with considerably less computation time. For completeness, analysis of acoustic waves in stratified isotropic media is included. Furthermore, for large horizontal or vertical source-receiver separations very efficient approximations are derived. Several examples and applications are given.

  • A Concise Geologic Time Scale

    2016
    • 1st Edition
    • J.G. Ogg + 2 more
    • English
    A Concise Geologic Time Scale: 2016 presents a summary of Earth's history over the past 4.5 billion years, as well as a brief overview of contemporaneous events on the Moon, Mars, and Venus. The authors have been at the forefront of chronostratigraphic research and initiatives to create an international geologic time scale for many years, and the charts in this book present the most up-to-date international standard, as ratified by the International Commission on Stratigraphy and the International Union of Geological Sciences. This book is an essential reference for all geoscientists, including researchers, students, and petroleum and mining professionals. The presentation is non-technical and illustrated with numerous colour charts, maps and photographs.

  • Essentials of Mineral Exploration and Evaluation

    • 1st Edition
    • S. M. Gandhi + 1 more
    • English
    Essentials of Mineral Exploration and Evaluation offers a thorough overview of methods used in mineral exploration campaigns, evaluation, reporting and economic assessment processes. Fully illustrated to cover the state-of-the-art exploration techniques and evaluation of mineral assets being practiced globally, this up-to-date reference offers balanced coverage of the latest knowledge and current global trends in successful mineral exploration and evaluation. From mineral deposits, to remote sensing, to sampling and analysis, Essentials of Mineral Exploration and Evaluation offers an extensive look at this rapidly changing field.

  • Giant Coal-Derived Gas Fields and Their Gas Sources in China

    • 1st Edition
    • Jinxing Dai
    • English
    Giant Coal-Derived Gas Fields and Their Gas Sources in China presents a thorough look at 32 coal-derived gas fields in China. This reference book includes two main parts, the first discussing the geologic characteristics of the tectonic, stratigraphy, source and cap rock assemblage for the accumulation periods. The second part features multiple differential indexes, charts, phase states (gas, liquid, solid), and the methods used to determine the sources of the coal-derived giant gas fields. As the first comprehensive coverage of the methods of gas to source correlation in China, this book will be a classic reference for researchers working in natural gas geology and geochemistry, and teachers working in universities around the world.

  • Practical Engineering Management of Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms

    • 1st Edition
    • Naeim Nouri Samie
    • English
    Practical Engineering Management of Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms delivers the first must-have content to the multiple engineering managers and clients devoted to the design, equipment, and operations of offshore oil and gas platforms. Concepts explaining how to interact with the various task forces, getting through bid proposals, and how to maintain project control are all covered in the necessary training reference. Relevant equipment and rule of thumb techniques to calculate critical features on the design of the platform are also covered, including tank capacities and motor power, along with how to consistently change water, oil, and gas production profiles over the course of a project. The book helps offshore oil and gas operators and engineers gain practical understanding of the multiple disciplines involved in offshore oil and gas projects using experience-based approaches and lessons learned.

  • Geophysical Case Study of the Woodlawn Orebody, N.S.W., Australia

    The First Publication of Methods and Techniques Tested over a Base Metal Orebody of the Type which Yields the Highest Rate of Return on Mining Investment with Modest Capital Requirements
    • 1st Edition
    • R. J. Whiteley
    • English
    The Woodlawn orebody is located in eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is one of an important class of massive, copper-lead-zinc, stratiform volcanogenic mineral deposits and has reserves of about 10 million tonnes of ore. Deposits such as Woodlawn are the object of considerable worldwide exploitation effort because they yield the highest rate of return on mining investment with modest capital requirements. This detailed geophysical case study contains individual contributions by professionals from diverse backgrounds (industry, government and university) and includes the latest geophysical methods. It is the only detailed geophysical study of an economic sulphide deposit ever undertaken for educational purposes

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