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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.

  • The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes

    • 2nd Edition
    • Haraldur Sigurdsson + 4 more
    • English
    Volcanoes are unquestionably one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring features of the physical world. Our paradoxical fascination with them stems from their majestic beauty and powerful, sometimes deadly, destructiveness. Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in volcanology since ancient times, some of the mystery surrounding volcanic eruptions remains today. The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes summarizes our present knowledge of volcanoes; it provides a comprehensive source of information on the causes of volcanic eruptions and both the destructive and beneficial effects. The early chapters focus on the science of volcanism (melting of source rocks, ascent of magma, eruption processes, extraterrestrial volcanism, etc.). Later chapters discuss human interface with volcanoes, including the history of volcanology, geothermal energy resources, interaction with the oceans and atmosphere, health aspects of volcanism, mitigation of volcanic disasters, post-eruption ecology, and the impact of eruptions on organismal biodiversity.
  • Chemostratigraphy

    Concepts, Techniques, and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Mu Ramkumar
    • English
    Chemostratigraphy: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications is the first collection of contributed articles that introduces young geoscientists to the discipline while providing seasoned practitioners with a standard reference that showcases the topic’s most recent research and application developments. This multi-contributed reference on one of the youngest and most dynamic branches of the geosciences includes articles from some of the world’s leading researchers. This book is a one-stop source of chemostratigraphy theory and application, helping geoscientists navigate through the wealth of new research that has emerged in recent years.
  • Shale Gas and Fracking

    The Science Behind the Controversy
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael Stephenson
    • English
    Shale Gas and Fracking: The Science Behind the Controversy explains the relevant geological principles before examining the peer-reviewed evidence and presenting it through a simple and compelling illustrated narrative. Each chapter focuses on a particular controversy, such contamination of well water with gas from fracking, and follows a similar format: starting with the principles; then detailing peer-reviewed case studies for earthquakes, radioactivity, and climate change; and concluding with a judgment of the general risks involved. Shale Gas and Fracking: The Science Behind the Controversy provides readers with the unbiased information they need to make informed decisions on the controversial issue of fracking.
  • Electromagnetic Geothermometry

    • 1st Edition
    • Viacheslav V. Spichak + 1 more
    • English
    Electromagnetic Geothermometry explores, presents and explains the new technique of temperature estimation within the Earth’s interior; the Electromagnetic technique will identify zones of geothermal anomalies and thus provides locations for deep drilling. This book includes many case studies from geothermal areas such as Travale (Italy), Soultz-sous-Forêts (France) and Hengill (Iceland), allowing the author and reader to draw conclusions regarding the dominating heat transfer mechanisms, location of its sources and to constrain the locations for drilling of the new boreholes. Covering a topic that so far has very little coverage (due to its newness) Electromagnetic Geothermometry presents ground breaking information on the interpretation of MT signals. And as such, is similar to the work that was done to develop new generations of seismic inversion methods that have since come to dominate the oil industry. Up until now geophysical methods have had difficulty resolving temperature differences which have been critical in the understanding of location and magnitude of geothermal resources
  • Earth and Life Processes Discovered from Subseafloor Environments

    A Decade of Science Achieved by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP)
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 7
    • English
    The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP: 2000-2013) has provided crucial records of past and present processes and interactions within and between the biosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and geosphere. Research in IODP encompasses a wide range of fundamental and applied issues that affect society, such as global climate change, biodiversity, the origin of life, natural hazards involving the study of earthquakes processes, and the internal structure and dynamics of our planet. This compilation of major findings from the 2003-2013/14 phase of IODP, focusing on scientific results rather than description of data acquisition and early inferences, provides invaluable information. Anyone wondering what scientific drilling can achieve will gain quick understanding of the range of questions that are uniquely addressed with this methodology and the ways these data dovetail with other regional information. The excitement of breakthrough findings that occasionally accompanies a drilling project will be evident. IODP obtained unique records from the global ocean basins during the 2003-2013 program phase. This book highlights findings in three theme areas: Subseafloor life and the marine biosphere; Earth's changing environments; and Dynamics of the solid Earth. Each core or borehole log provides a window revealing insights that no other data achieve.
  • Geomorphological Fieldwork

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 18
    • English
    Geomorphological Fieldwork addresses a topic that always remains popular within the geosciences and environmental science. More specifically, the volume conveys a growing legacy of field-based learning for young geomorphologists that can be used as a student book for field-based university courses and postgraduate research requiring fieldwork or field schools. The editors have much experience of field-based learning within geomorphology and extend this to physical geography. The topics covered are relevant to basic geomorphology as well as applied approaches in environmental and cultural geomorphology. The book integrates a physical-human approach to geography, but focuses on physical geography and geomorphology from an integrated field-based geoscience perspective.
  • Advances in Geophysics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 55
    • English
    The critically acclaimed serialized review journal for over 50 years, Advances in Geophysics is a highly respected publication in the field of geophysics. Since 1952, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now in its 55th volume, it contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of geophysics.
  • Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change

    • 1st Edition
    • Zhihua Zhang + 1 more
    • English
    Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change is the first book to provide an overview of the math and physics necessary for scientists to understand and apply atmospheric and oceanic models to climate research. The book begins with basic mathematics then leads on to specific applications in atmospheric and ocean dynamics, such as fluid dynamics, atmospheric dynamics, oceanic dynamics, and glaciers and sea level rise. Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change provides a solid foundation in math and physics with which to understand global warming, natural climate variations, and climate models. This book informs the future users of climate models and the decision-makers of tomorrow by providing the depth they need. Developed from a course that the authors teach at Beijing Normal University, the material has been extensively class-tested and contains online resources, such as presentation files, lecture notes, solutions to problems and MATLab codes.
  • Structural Geology

    The Mechanics of Deforming Metamorphic Rocks
    • 1st Edition
    • Bruce E. Hobbs + 1 more
    • English
    Structural Geology is a groundbreaking reference that introduces you to the concepts of nonlinear solid mechanics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics in metamorphic geology, offering a fresh perspective on rock structure and its potential for new interpretations of geological evolution. This book stands alone in unifying deformation and metamorphism and the development of the mineralogical fabrics and the structures that we see in the field. This reflects the thermodynamics of systems not at equilibrium within the framework of modern nonlinear solid mechanics. The thermodynamic approach enables the various mechanical, thermal, hydrological and chemical processes to be rigorously coupled through the second law of thermodynamics, invariably leading to nonlinear behavior. The book also differs from others in emphasizing the implications of this nonlinear behavior with respect to the development of the diverse, complex, even fractal, range of structures in deformed metamorphic rocks. Building on the fundamentals of structural geology by discussing the nonlinear processes that operate during the deformation and metamorphism of rocks in the Earth's crust, the book's concepts help geoscientists and graduate-level students understand how these processes control or influence the structures and metamorphic fabrics—providing applications in hydrocarbon exploration, ore mineral exploration, and architectural engineering.
  • Education and Training for the Oil and Gas Industry: Building A Technically Competent Workforce

    • 1st Edition
    • Phil Andrews + 1 more
    • English
    Volume 2 of the Getenergy Guides series explores the challenges of developing a technically competent workforce for the oil and gas sector globally. The cases in this Volume explore practical examples of the efforts of oil and gas companies, contractors, educational institutions and governments to develop competent, vocationally-trained employees for the industry. Education and training are increasingly viewed as part of the core business of oil and gas companies operating in today’s high cost/high risk environment. This book will highlight the approaches which work and offer a framework against which future initiatives can be measured. This second book in the Getenergy Guides series explores nine cases studies from around the world and offers commentary on each case drawn from Getenergy’s wealth of experience in uniting education and training providers and the upstream oil and gas industry on a global basis.