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Dryland Ecohydrology
By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this volume provides a synthesis of material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which is currently scattered in a number of books and journal articles. The focus on water-limited ecosystems is motivated by their high sensitivity to daily, seasonal, and decadal perturbations in water availability, and by the ecologic, climatic, and economic significance of most of the world's drylands. Conceived as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field.
Directions in strong motion instrumentation ; Proceedings of the NATO SFP Workshop on Future Directions in Instrumentation for Strong Motion and Engineering Seismology, Kusadasi, Izmir, May 17-21, 2004
This book, which contains papers by invited authorities, represents a unique interaction between seismologists and earthquake engineers who examine issues of mutual concern in an overlapping area of major interest. The papers have been grouped around three major areas. -Seismic Hazard and Extreme Motions -Engineering Uses of Strong Motion Seismograms -Arrays and Observations.
Digital Terrain Modelling : Development and Applications in a Policy Support Environment
This book presents a set of papers on Digital Terrain Modelling for Policy Support which aims to be informative and stimulating for both developers and users of digital terrain models. It should also be useful for professi- als who are interested in the wider aspects of the applications of terrain models in support for policies and decision making. There is an increasing demand for regional and continental scale data for use in environmental modelling and spatial analysis to support envir- mental policy development and implementation. Important environmental processes act at regional and continental scales, for example climatic change inducing floods and soil erosion, and management of these pr- esses for the sustainable development of society requires policies to be - plied at the corresponding scales. One of the most important factors inf- encing these environmental processes which act on the earth’s surface is the surface topography, hence the need for extensive, harmonised digital terrain models.
Digital Soil Mapping with Limited Data
This book focuses on digital soil mapping methodologies and applications for areas where data are limited, and has the following sections (i) introductory papers, (ii) dealing with limited spatial data infrastructures, (iii) methodology development, and (iv) examples of digital soil mapping in various parts of the globe (including USA, Brazil, UK, France, Czech Republic, Honduras, Kenya, Australia). The final chapter summarises priorities for digital soil mapping.
Digital Photogrammetry : A Practical Course
The main part of the book contains several tutorials. In increasing complexity, accompanied by texts explaining further theory, the reader can proceed step by step through the particular working parts. Most of the standard work in Digital Photogrammetry is shown and trained for example scanning, image orientation, mono and stereo plotting, aerial triangulation measurement (manual and automatic), block adjustment, automatic creation of surface models via image matching, creation of ortho images and mosaics, and others. Not only standard situations are dealt with but also more complex ones, such as unknown camera data, extreme relief or areas with very low contrast. Examples of both aerial and close-range photogrammetry present the power of these type of measurement techniques.
Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy : Principles and Applications
This book reviews the basics of atmospheric chemistry, radiation transport, and optical spectroscopy before detailing the principles underlying DOAS. The second part of the book describes the design and application of DOAS instruments as well as the evaluation and interpretation of spectra. The recent expansion of DOAS application to the imaging of trace gas distributions by ground, aircraft, and satellite-based instruments is also covered.
Dictionary of gems and gemology
The rapid growth of gemological sciences and mineralogy requires a comprehensive dictionary for gemologists, mineralogists, geologists, jewel dealers, industry, and hobbyists. The revised and expanded second edition of this dictionary contains about 25,000 entries - some 9,000 more than the first edition.
Developments in spatial data handling ; 11th International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling
The International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling is the premier research forum for Geographic Information Science. The papers published in this volume are carefully refereed by an international programme committee composed of experts in various areas of GIS who are especially renowned for their scientific innovation.
Developing Tsunami-Resilient Communities : The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program
Tsunamis remain an ever-present threat to lives and property along the coasts of most of the world’s oceans. Because of the geographical extent of U.S. coastlines, an earthquake in Alaska can generate a local tsunami for Alaskans and, hours later, a distant tsunami for communities in Hawaii and along the Pacific Coast . This volume chronicles the development and accomplishments of a joint State/Federal partnership that was forged to reduce tsunami hazards along U.S. coastlines – the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. By integrating hazard assessment, warning guidance, and mitigation activities, the program has created a roadmap and a set of tools to develop communities more resilient to local and distant tsunamis. Among the set of tools are tsunami forecasting, educational experiments, early alerting systems, and design guidance for tsunami-resilient communities. Part of this book has already been published in a recent journal issue.
Designing green landscapes
This book presents the latest thinking in adaptive management for forest ecosystems. Based on the ‘multiple path’ principle, this approach links species choice and silvicultural methods with changing demands and changing environmental conditions, to ensure continuous adaptation, often several times within the lifetime of a tree. The ‘multiple path’ principle at the core of this approach represents a robust theoretical framework for designing forested landscapes. It provides a logical basis both for coordinating spatial objectives and for integrating varied forms of expertise; it limits planning horizons to realistic timeframes; and it allows for forecasts based on current real attributes of spatially explicit land parcels. This is in stark contrast with traditional forestry practices which simply assess the forest resource at regular time intervals and prescribe standard management schedules for specific forest types.
Design and Construction of Tunnels : Analysis of controlled deformation in rocks and soils (ADECO-RS)
It uses the advance core (the core of ground ahead of the face) as a structural tool for the long and short term stabilisation of tunnels, after its rigidity has first been regulated using conservation techniques. Tunnels can consequently be driven in difficult stress-strain conditions to predetermined safety standards with operations industrialised and scheduled precisely.
Desertification in the Mediterranean Region : A security issue ; Proceedings of the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue Workshop, held in Valencia, Spain, 2-5 December 2003
This book focuses on two basic concepts: security and desertification in the Mediterranean Region and their linkages. Desertification is recognized as a process of land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas of the world that is the result of natural phenomena (e.g. climate variation) and anthropogenic factors. The outcome of this type of degradation has typically been considered to be either a reduction or a loss of both biological and economic productivity. The scope of the book includes the identification of the physical processes of desertification specific to both the north and south Mediterranean Region. Additionally, it specifically questions how changing environmental conditions may potentially reduce stability and peace in the world and thus affect "environmental security."
Desert Dust in the Global System
Dust storms, produced by the removal of surface materials from the world’s drylands, are a vital component of the environment. This is because of their role in biogeochemical cycling, their potential influence on climate, their role in sediment accumulation and their influence on human affairs. This book, which is exhaustively referenced, explores and summarises recent research on where dust storms originate, why dust storms are generated, where dust is transported and deposited, the nature of dust deposits and the changing frequency of dust storms over a range of time-scales.
Demystifying Climate Models : A Users Guide to Earth System Models
This book demystifies the models we use to simulate present and future climates, allowing readers to better understand how to use climate model results. In order to predict the future trajectory of the Earth’s climate, climate-system simulation models are necessary. When and how do we trust climate model predictions? The book offers a framework for answering this question. It provides readers with a basic primer on climate and climate change, and offers non-technical explanations for how climate models are constructed, why they are uncertain, and what level of confidence we should place in them. It presents current results and the key uncertainties concerning them. Uncertainty is not a weakness but understanding uncertainty is a strength and a key part of using any model, including climate models.
Demands of Expanding Populations and Development Planning : Clean Air, Safe Water, Fertile Soils
This book brings together three topics that interact to affect the quality of life on Earth. First, it examines expanding populations (and contracting ones) in regional and national contexts. Second, the book reviews the impacts of pollution on people, ecosystems and economic ventures.Third, the book asserts that well-planned development projects adhering to environmental laws and with best available technologies, will reduce ecosystem pollution yet yield strong profit margins.
Deltas in the Anthropocene
The Anthropocene is the human-dominated modern era that has accelerated social, environmental and climate change across the world in the last few decades. This open access book examines the challenges the Anthropocene presents to the sustainable management of deltas, both the many threats as well as the opportunities.
Deformation and Gravity Change : Indicators of Isostasy, Tectonics, Volcanism, and Climate Change
During the last decades, measurements of various geodynamic processes have gained ever increasing importance. Temporal variations of the deformation and gravity fields monitored by geodetic measuring techniques reflect isostatic, tectonic or volcanic processes in the earth’s interior.Recordings of hydrologic or oceanographic phenomena allow conclusions on surface processes. This volume reflects the major developments during recent years in these areas of research.Most of the papers in this book were presented at the workshop on"Deformation and Gravity Change: Indicators of Isostasy, Tectonics, Volcanism and Climate Change", which took place at the Casa de los Volcanes on Lanzarote,Spain, 2005.
Decision Making for Complex Socio-Technical Systems : Robustness from Lessons Learned in Long-Term Radioactive Waste Governance
The long-term governance of radioactive waste continues to be a major complex and contentious socio-technical issue worldwide. Traditionally, it has been considered as mainly a challenge to scientists and engineers to develop technical "solutions" to specific problems. But increasingly these narrow solutions have been enlarged by wider societal considerations such as ethics, public involvement, control and retrievability – needs that have in the meanwhile been recognised by the nuclear community, at least in a general way. In this book, we analyse motives for a broad discourse as well as suggest prerequisites to launch it. The author attempts to give a novel, empirically based and technically sound treatment of fundamental issues in long-term management and governance. Written to be accessible to a wide selection of the interested public, the study proposes a combination of technical design issues, analysis methods and institutional backup in a dynamic procedure, and with involvement at all levels of political, commercial and social life.
Debris-flow Hazards and Related Phenomena
Debris Flow Hazards and Related Phenomena is set to become the standard reference on debris flows, debris avalanches and related phenomena. The editors provide a complete treatment of all aspects of debris flow and debris avalanche research whilst making the book a useful tool for experts, researchers and students. Case studies are provided on a global basis which will illustrate graphically the real problems and real solutions associated with this devastating phenomena. The number of published articles in journals on landslides is literally exploding and where climate change is beginning to affect landslide activity, this book will be a much needed and long sought addition to the literature currently available.
Data assimilation fundamentals : A unified formulation of the state and parameter estimation problem
This textbook's significant contribution is the unified derivation of data-assimilation techniques from a common fundamental and optimal starting point, namely Bayes' theorem. Unique for this book is the "top-down" derivation of the assimilation methods. It starts from Bayes theorem and gradually introduces the assumptions and approximations needed to arrive at today's popular data-assimilation methods. This strategy is the opposite of most textbooks and reviews on data assimilation that typically take a bottom-up approach to derive a particular assimilation method.
