Skip to main content

Books in Physical sciences and engineering

  • Economic Growth and Sustainability

    Systems Thinking for a Complex World
    • 1st Edition
    • Karen L. Higgins
    • English
    How to sustain our world for future generations has perplexed us for centuries. We have reached a crossroads: we may choose the rocky path of responsibility or continue on the paved road of excess that promises hardship for our progeny. Independent efforts to resolve isolated issues are inadequate. Different from these efforts and from other books on the topic, this book uses systems thinking to understand the dominant forces that are shaping our hope for sustainability. It first describes a mental model - the bubble that holds our beliefs - that emerges from preponderant world views and explains current global trends. The model emphasizes economic growth and drives behavior toward short-term and self-motivated outcomes that thwart sustainability. The book then weaves statistical trends into a system diagram and shows how the economic, environmental, and societal contributors of sustainability interact. From this holistic perspective, it finds leverage points where actions can be most effective and combines eight areas of intervention into an integrated plan. By emphasizing both individual and collective actions, it addresses the conundrum of how to blend human nature with sustainability. Finally, it identifies primary three lessons we can learn by applying systems thinking to sustainability. Its metaphor-rich and accessible style makes the complex topic approachable and allows the reader to appreciate the intricate balance required to sustain life on Earth.
  • Developments in Surface Contamination and Cleaning, Volume 8

    Cleaning Techniques
    • 1st Edition
    • Rajiv Kohli + 1 more
    • English
    As device sizes in the semiconductor industries shrink, devices become more vulnerable to smaller contaminant particles, and most conventional cleaning techniques employed in the industry are not effective at smaller scales. The book series Developments in Surface Contamination and Cleaning as a whole provides an excellent source of information on these alternative cleaning techniques as well as methods for characterization and validation of surface contamination. Each volume has a particular topical focus, covering the key techniques and recent developments in the area.Several novel wet and dry surface cleaning methods are addressed in this Volume. Many of these methods have not been reviewed previously, or the previous reviews are dated. These methods are finding increasing commercial application and the information in this book will be of high value to the reader. Edited by the leading experts in small-scale particle surface contamination, cleaning and cleaning control these books will be an invaluable reference for researchers and engineers in R&D, manufacturing, quality control and procurement specification situated in a multitude of industries such as: aerospace, automotive, biomedical, defense, energy, manufacturing, microelectronics, optics and xerography.
  • Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective

    Volume 3: Case Studies – Coal Fires
    • 1st Edition
    • Glenn B. Stracher + 2 more
    • English
    Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective, Volumes 1–4, presents a fascinating collection of research about prehistoric and historic coal and peat fires. Magnificent illustrations of fires and research findings from countries around the world are featured—a totally new contribution to science. This third of four volumes in the collection, Coal Fires – Case Studies, examines in detail specific coal fires chronicled in a number of locations around the world including Brazil, the Czech Republic, Germany, Malawi, Poland, Russia, Spain, Tajikistan, the United States, Venezuela, and others.
  • Climate Change Biology

    • 2nd Edition
    • Lee Hannah
    • English
    Climate Change Biology, 2e examines the evolving discipline of human-induced climate change and the resulting shifts in the distributions of species and the timing of biological events. The text focuses on understanding the impacts of human-induced climate change by drawing on multiple lines of evidence, including paleoecology, modeling, and current observation. This revised and updated second edition emphasizes impacts of human adaptation to climate change on nature and greater emphasis on natural processes and cycles and specific elements. With four new chapters, an increased emphasis on tools for critical thinking, and a new glossary and acronym appendix, Climate Change Biology, 2e is the ideal overview of this field.
  • Wave Fields in Real Media

    Wave Propagation in Anisotropic, Anelastic, Porous and Electromagnetic Media
    • 3rd Edition
    • Volume 38
    • José M. Carcione
    • English
    Authored by the internationally renowned José M. Carcione, Wave Fields in Real Media: Wave Propagation in Anisotropic, Anelastic, Porous and Electromagnetic Media examines the differences between an ideal and a real description of wave propagation, starting with the introduction of relevant stress-strain relations. The combination of this relation and the equations of momentum conservation lead to the equation of motion. The differential formulation is written in terms of memory variables, and Biot's theory is used to describe wave propagation in porous media. For each rheology, a plane-wave analysis is performed in order to understand the physics of wave propagation. This book contains a review of the main direct numerical methods for solving the equation of motion in the time and space domains. The emphasis is on geophysical applications for seismic exploration, but researchers in the fields of earthquake seismology, rock acoustics, and material science - including many branches of acoustics of fluids and solids - may also find this text useful. New to this edition:This new edition presents the fundamentals of wave propagation in Anisotropic, Anelastic, Porous Media while also incorporating the latest research from the past 7 years, including that of the author. The author presents all the equations and concepts necessary to understand the physics of wave propagation. These equations form the basis for modeling and inversion of seismic and electromagnetic data. Additionally, demonstrations are given, so the book can be used to teach post-graduate courses. Addition of new and revised content is approximately 30%.
  • Securing VoIP

    Keeping Your VoIP Network Safe
    • 1st Edition
    • Regis J. Jr (Bud) Bates
    • English
    Securing VoIP: Keeping Your VoIP Network Safe will show you how to take the initiative to prevent hackers from recording and exploiting your company’s secrets. Drawing upon years of practical experience and using numerous examples and case studies, technology guru Bud Bates discusses the business realities that necessitate VoIP system security and the threats to VoIP over both wire and wireless networks. He also provides essential guidance on how to conduct system security audits and how to integrate your existing IT security plan with your VoIP system and security plans, helping you prevent security breaches and eavesdropping.
  • HSPA Evolution

    The Fundamentals for Mobile Broadband
    • 1st Edition
    • Thomas Chapman + 5 more
    • English
    This book is essential reading for those wishing to obtain a systems perspective and a broad view on the background, performance and application of the latest developments in HSPA in the context of the demands on today’s mobile broadband devices and networks. It takes the reader behind the scenes of 3GPP and provides an easily accessible understanding of the basic principles, the latest steps in the standard’s evolution, and the motivations behind the development of standardized features. It covers important topics such as smartphone related features, multi-carrier and multi-antenna operation, interface architecture, heterogeneous networks and HSPA system performance. Offering full coverage of recent developments in HSPA up to Release 13, this book will provide a comprehensive description of one of the dominating standards for mobile broadband. With this book, you will: Get a guided and consistent tour through the evolutionary stages of HSPA Gain an understanding of the 3GPP standardization process, the driving forces behind it, and the need for evolution Learn about the fundamental technology components of a modern wireless communication system, such as basic link level architecture, cellular system behavior, traffic management and scheduling and system management Learn in detail the features of the latest HSPA development up to Release 13 Gain a deep insight into the means by which HSPA performance can be simulated and characterized, the factors that drive the performance of networks and user experience, and the performance expectations for the technology Obtain insight into the telecommunications market and its evolution Learn about current trends and the future direction of HSPA
  • Optical Radiometry for Ocean Climate Measurements

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 47
    • English
    This book presents the state-of-the-art of optical remote sensing applied for the generation of marine climate-quality data products, with contributions by international experts in the field. The chapters are logically grouped into six thematic parts, each introduced by a brief overview. The different parts include: i. requirements for the generation of climate data records from satellite ocean measurements and additionally basic radiometry principles addressing terminology, standards, measurement equation and uncertainties; ii. satellite visible and thermal infrared radiometry embracing instrument design, characterization and, pre- and post-launch calibration; iii. in situ visible and thermal infrared radiometry including overviews on basic principles, technology and measurements methods required to support satellite missions devoted to climate change investigations; iv. simulations as fundamental tools to support interpretation and analysis of both in situ and satellite radiometric measurements; v. strategies for in situ radiometry to satisfy mission requirements for the generation of climate data records; and finally, vi. methods for the assessment of satellite data products. Fundamentals of measurement theory are taken through to implementation of practical ground based radiometers and their application to validate satellite data used to generate climate data records. This book presents practical solutions for those involved or contemplating the validation of optical climate measurements from satellite instruments.
  • Geoethics

    Ethical Challenges and Case Studies in Earth Sciences
    • 1st Edition
    • Max Wyss + 1 more
    • English
    Edited by two experts in the area, Geoethics: Ethical Challenges and Case Studies in Earth Sciences addresses a range of topics surrounding the concept of ethics in geoscience, making it an important reference for any Earth scientist with a growing concern for sustainable development and social responsibility. This book will provide the reader with some obvious and some hidden information you need for understanding where experts have not served the public, what more could have been done to reach and serve the public and the ethical issues surrounding the Earth Sciences, from a global perspective.
  • Coastal and Marine Hazards, Risks, and Disasters

    • 1st Edition
    • John F. Shroder + 2 more
    • English
    Sea and Ocean Hazards, Risks and Disasters provides a scientific approach to those hazards and disasters related to the Earth's coasts and oceans. This is the first book to integrate scientific, social, and economic issues related to disasters such as hazard identification, risk analysis, and planning, relevant hazard process mechanics, discussions of preparedness, response, and recovery, and the economics of loss and remediation. Throughout the book cases studies are presented of historically relevant hazards and disasters as well as the many recent catastrophes.