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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.

BooksJournals

  • Volcanic Activity and Human Ecology

    • 1st Edition
    • Payson D. Sheets + 1 more
    • English
    Volcanic Activity and Human Ecology deals with dating, chronology, stratigraphy, volcanic activity, and with the impacts of volcanism on animals, plants, human populations, and the environment. Some of the chapters explain how such findings must be weighed against other causes that influence human behavior and survival, such as factors of social customs, climatic change, shifting biogeographic patterns, disease, and the ability to adapt. Each of the chapters that assess the possible human response to volcanism does so by searching for multiple explanations of the archaeological record, avoiding the simple argument that people were dramatically and inevitably overcome by catastrophic geologic events. The book begins with discussions of volcanism as seen by geologists and pedologists. These include s a general overview of volcanoes and volcanism; a review of the production, dispersal, and properties of tephra and of the geologic methods used to study tephra; and the nature of volcanic soils and their economic impact. Subsequent chapters use the geologic and modern records to examine volcanoes as hazards to people. The final series of papers deals with the interrelationships between volcanism and human occupations as seen through the archaeological, paleobotanical, and paleozoological records.

  • Measurements from Maps

    Principles and Methods of Cartometry
    • 1st Edition
    • D H Maling
    • English
    Measurements from Maps: Principles and Methods of Cartometry describes the accuracy of a variety of measurement techniques that may be used in many fields of science, administration and travel. This book is composed of 23 chapters, and begins with a description of the nature and applications of cartometry. The succeeding chapters deal with methods of measuring distance and area, sources of measurement errors and their analysis, cartometric sampling, the concept of accurate map, and the magnitude of cartometric deformations. These topics are followed by discussions of aerial photograph measurements and the precision of different methods, as well as their suitability for different kind of work. This book also looks into the probabilistic methods of distance measurement, and the geometrical, planimetric, and point-counting methods of area measurement. The last chapters consider the application of digital computer in cartometry and the measurement on Mercator's projection.

  • Mathematical Aspects of Seismology

    Developments in Solid Earth Geophysics
    • 1st Edition
    • Markus Båth
    • English
    Developments in Solid Earth Geophysics, 4: Mathematical Aspects of Seismology introduces studies of the more advanced parts of theoretical seismology. The manuscript first ponders on contour integration and conformal transformation, methods of stationary phase and steepest descent, and series integration. Discussions focus on Love waves in heterogeneous isotropic media, Laguerre's differential equation, Hermite's differential equation, method of steepest descent, method of stationary phase, contour integration in the complex plane, and conformal transformation. The text then examines series integration, Bessel functions, Legendre functions, and wave equations. Topics include general considerations of the wave equation, expansion of a spherical wave into plane waves, common features of special functions and special differential equations, applications of Legendre functions, Legendre polynomials, Bessel's differential equation, and properties of Bessel coefficients. The book explores the influence of gravity on wave propagation, matrix calculus, wave propagation in liquid media, integral equations, calculus of variations, and integral transforms. The text is a valuable source of data for researchers wanting to study the mathematical aspects of seismology.

  • Field Instrumentation in Geotechnical Engineering

    A Symposium Organised by the British Geotechnical Society Held 30th May–1st June 1973
    • 1st Edition
    • Elsevier Chennai Outsource Office
    • English
    Field Instrumentation in Geotechnical Engineering documents the proceedings of a symposium of the same name organized by the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. The said symposium covers the developments in the instruments and techniques in field instrumentation. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 covers the 37 papers included in the symposium, which cover topics such as the measurement of spatial deformations; the measurement of in situ stress and strain for solids, earth pressure and anchor forces; ground round displacement; and techniques and equipment using the surveyors lever. Part 2, on the other hand, covers the sessions during the symposium, which include topics such as different principles of measurement; the application of instrumentation; and interpretation of their results. The text is recommended for those in the field of geotechnical engineering who would like to know more about instrumentation and the processes and techniques involved in it.

  • Notes on Meteorology

    • 3rd Edition
    • J.F. Kemp + 1 more
    • English
    Notes on Meteorology is intended to provide practical knowledge of meteorology. It describes some of the more common theory of weather phenomena as simply as possible. Drawings of instruments in this volume were from the Admiralty Manual of Seamanship while the map of the weather forecast areas supplied by the Meteorological Office. This second edition of the book contains several alterations in numerical quantities to reflect the changeover to metrication with SI units. Some chapters were revised and introductory notes were added on topics such as facsimile plotting and weather routeing in order the fulfill the book's original purpose of providing a basic text on meteorology for examination candidates, yachtsmen and all interested in the subject of weather. This book will be of interest to students studying for their examinations and others interested in meteorology, particularly yachtsmen.

  • Geochemistry of Organic Substances

    International Series of Monographs in Earth Sciences
    • 1st Edition
    • S. M. Manskaya + 1 more
    • Dean Earl Ingerson
    • English
    Geochemistry of Organic Substances, Volume 28 correlates ideas regarding the composition and transformation of decomposition products of organisms in natural processes with phenomena of migration and the concentration of chemical elements by organic substances in sedimentary rocks. This book presents theories regarding the chemical structure of natural compounds that work as progenitors for the formation of naturally-occurring organic substances. Organized into two parts encompassing 12 chapters, this volume starts with an overview of the biosynthesis and the metabolism of organic substances that characterize the intermediate compounds. This text then examines the formation of fossil substances, which occurs in various stages and depends on several factors. Other chapters consider the role of the organic substances of coal in the geochemical cycle of carbon. This book discusses as well the composition and distribution of the organic substances in water and sediments of basins of various types. The final chapter deals with the significant role of fossil organic matter at various stages of its formation. This book is a valuable resource for botanists, geochemists, paleobiochemists, and coal chemists.

  • Gemmological Instruments

    Their Use and Principles of Operation
    • 2nd Edition
    • Peter G Read
    • English
    Gemmological Instruments deals with the developments in diamond grading equipment and gem testing instruments since the publication of the first edition in 1978. These developments include improvements in the versatility and styling of existing instruments such as the reflectivity meter, the composite spectroscope, and the refractometer. It also addresses the criticisms in the first edition and provides a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of different gem testing equipment. This book is organized into 16 chapters that describe groundbreaking instruments like the thermal conductivity diamond testers and home-constructed items that while innovative have not yet been commercialized. There are also chapters dealing with microphotography and identification of synthetics and stimulants. This book also provides a listing of gemstone constants and characteristic inclusions in natural and synthetic gemstones. This book will be of interest to people interested in equipment for gem testing and diamond grading.

  • Clays and Clay Minerals

    Proceedings of the Ninth National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals
    • 1st Edition
    • Ada Swineford
    • English
    Earth Sciences, Volume 11: Clays and Clay Minerals covers the proceedings of the Ninth National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals, held at the Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana on October 5-8, 1960, sponsored by the Committee on Clay Minerals of the National Academy of Sciences – National Research Council. The Conference features two symposia, namely, the “Engineering Aspects of Physico-Chemical Properties of Clays” and the “Clay-Organic Complexes”. This book is composed of 42 chapters and begins with descriptions of the mechanical, structural, thermodynamic, physical, and thermal properties of clay minerals. The succeeding chapters are devoted to certain reactions, theoretical and experimental aspects, occurrence, formation, and sorption properties of these minerals. Other chapters explore other involved mineral reactions, including interlamellar, cation exchange, swelling, and adsorption. The concluding chapters examine the viscometric constants of suspension, stabilization mechanism, and random growth of certain clay minerals. This book will be of value to geologists, mineralogists, and researchers in the field.

  • The Earth’s Electric Field

    Sources from Sun to Mud
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael C. Kelley
    • English
    The Earth’s Electric Field provides you with an integrated and comprehensive picture of the generation of the terrestrial electric fields, their dynamics and how they couple/propagate through the medium. The Earth’s Electric Field provides basic principles of terrestrial electric field related topics, but also a critical summary of electric field related observations and their significance to the various related phenomena in the atmosphere. For the first time, Kelley brings together information on this topic in a coherent way, making it easy to gain a broad overview of the critical processes in an efficient way. If you conduct research in atmospheric science, physics, atmospheric chemistry, space plasma physics, and solar terrestrial physics, you will find this book to be essential reading.

  • Reflection Seismology

    Theory, Data Processing and Interpretation
    • 1st Edition
    • Yang Wencai
    • English
    Authored by a geophysicist with more than 50 years of experience in research and instruction, Reflection Seismology: Theory, Data Processing and Interpretation provides a single source of foundational knowledge in reflection seismology principles and theory.Reflection seismology has a broad range of applications and is used primarily by the oil and gas industry to provide high-resolution maps and build a coherent geological story from maps of processed seismic reflections. Combined with seismic attribute analysis and other exploration geophysics tools, it aids geologists and geo-engineers in creating geological models of areas of exploration and extraction interest. Yet as important as reflection seismology is to the hydrocarbon industry, it’s difficult to find a single source that synthesizes the topic without having to wade through numerous journal articles from a range of different publishers. This book is a one-stop source of reflection seismology theory, helping scientists navigates through the wealth of new data processing techniques that have emerged in recent years.

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