ALBERT

Description / Table of Contents: "This volume provides an overview of (1) the physical and chemical foundations of dating methods and (2) the applications of dating methods in the geological sciences, biology, and archaeology, in almost 200 articles from over 200 international authors. It will serve as the most comprehensive treatise on widely accepted dating methods in the earth sciences and related fields."--

Description / Table of Contents: Content: 1 Mechanical Testing of Ceramics 2 Ductile Ceramics 3 Imperfections (Defects) in Ceramics 4 Deformation in Ceramics 5 The Strength and Strengthening of Ceramics 6 Time-Dependent Deformation Creep 7 Cyclic Stress Fatigue 8 Fracture 9 Mechanical Properties of Nano-Grain-Size Ceramics

Description / Table of Contents: This book reviews the basic materials science and physics needed to understand the plastic deformation of rocks and minerals, and changes in microstructure that signal past deformation, a matter of fundamental interest in structural geology and geodynamics.This book sets out the basic materials science needed for understanding the plastic deformation of rocks and minerals. Although at atmospheric pressure or at relatively low environmental pressures, these materials tend to be brittle, that is, to fracture with little prior plastic deformation when non-hydrostatically stressed, they can undergo substantial permanent strain when stressed under environmental conditions of high confining pressure and high temperature, such as occur geologically in the Earth's crust and upper mantle. Thus the plastic deformation of rocks and minerals is of fundamental interest in structural geology and geodynamics. In mountain-building processes and during convective stirring in the Earth's mantle, rocks can undergo very large amounts of plastic flow, accompanied by substantial changes in microstructure. These changes in microstructure remain in the rocks as evidence of the past deformation history. There are a number of types of physical processes whereby rock and minerals can undergo deformation under geological conditions. The physics of these processes is set out in this book.

Description / Table of Contents: Volume II of this work examines fracture mechanics and damage, contact mechanics, friction and wear, linking active mechanisms on the microscopic scale with the laws of macroscopic behaviour. Includes numerous explanatory diagrams and illustrations.Designing new structural materials, extending lifetimes and guarding against fracture in service are among the preoccupations of engineers, and to deal with these they need to have command of the mechanics of material behaviour. This ought to reflect in the training of students. In this respect, the first volume of this work deals with elastic, elastoplastic, elastoviscoplastic and viscoelastic behaviours; this second volume continues with fracture mechanics and damage, and with contact mechanics, friction and wear. As in Volume I, the treatment links the active mechanisms on the microscopic scale and the laws of macroscopic behaviour. Chapter I is an introduction to the various damage phenomena. Chapter II gives the essential of fracture mechanics. Chapter III is devoted to brittle fracture, chapter IV to ductile fracture and chapter V to the brittle-ductile transition. Chapter VI is a survey of fatigue damage. Chapter VII is devoted to hydrogen embrittlement and to environment assisted cracking, chapter VIII to creep damage. Chapter IX gives results of contact mechanics and a description of friction and wear mechanisms.Finally, chapter X treats damage in non metallic materials: ceramics, glass, concrete, polymers, wood and composites. The volume includes many explanatory diagrams and illustrations. A third volume will include exercises allowing deeper understanding of the subjects treated in the first two volumes.

Description / Table of Contents: 1. Various Types of Damage. - 2. Fracture Mechanics. - 3. Brittle Fracture. - 4. Ductile Fracture. - 5. Ductile-Brittle Transition. - 6. Fatigue. - 7. Environment Assisted Cracking. - 8. Creep-Fatigue-Oxidation Interactions. - 9. Contact Mechanics; Friction and Wear . - 10. Damage and Fracture of Non-metallic. - Materials Appendix A: Diffusion Coefficients. - Author Index. - Subject Index

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Preface 1 Mechanical Testing of Materials 2 Introduction to Dislocations 3 Plastic Deformation 4 Strengthening Mechanisms 5 Time Dependent Deformation - Creep 6 Cyclic Stress - Fatigue 7 Fracture 8 Mechanical Behavior in the Micron and Submicron/Nano range Index

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Magnetic Fields in the Large-scale Structure of the Universe.- The First Magnetic Fields.- Current Status of Turbulent Dynamo Theory: From Large-scale to Small-scale Dynamos.- Magnetic Fields in Cosmic Particle Acceleration Sources.- Cosmic rays in galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields.- Magnetic fields in galactic haloes.- Magnetic Fields in Massive Stars, their Winds, and their Nebulae.- Magnetic Fields, Relativistic Particles, and Shock Waves in Cluster Outskirts.- Magnetic Fields in Galaxies.

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Earth's Interacting Atmospheric and Plasma Envelopes: Conceptual Remarks.- Interactions Between the Lower, Middle and Upper Atmosphere.- The Near-Earth Plasma Environment.- Trends in the Neutral and Ionized Upper Atmosphere.- Thermospheric Density: An Overview of Temporal and Spatial Variations.- Global Response of the Ionosphere to Atmospheric Tides Forced From Below: Recent Progress Based on Satellite Measurements.- A Review of the Effects of Non-Migrating Atmospheric Tides on the Earth's Low-Latitude Ionosphere.- In-Situ CHAMP Observation of Ionosphere-Thermosphere Coupling.- Observations of Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling During Major Solar Eclipses from FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Constellation.

Description / Table of Contents: AA-LAVA.- Accelerometer.- Acid Rain.- Adaptation.- Airphoto and Satellite Imagery.- Albedo.- Antecedent Conditions.- Arsenic in Groundwater.- Asteroid.- Asteroid Impact.- Asteroid Impact Mitigation.- Asteroid Impact Predictions.- Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time (ALERT).- Avalanches.- Aviation (Hazards to).- Avulsion.- Base Surge.- Beach Nourishment (Replenishment).- Beaufort Wind Scale.- Biblical Events.- Body Wave.- Breakwaters.- Building Code.- Building Failure.- Buildings, Structures, and Public Safety.- Calderas.- Casualties Following Natural Hazards.- Challenges to Agriculture.- Civil Protection and Crisis Management.- Classification of Natural Disasters.- Climate Change.- Cloud Seeding.- Coal Fire (Underground).- Coastal Erosion.- Coastal Zone Risk Management.- Cognitive Dissonance.- Collapsing Soil Hazards.- Comet.- Communicating Emergency Information.- Community Management of Natural Hazards.- Complexity Theory.- Concrete Structures.- Convergence.- Coping Capacity.- Cost-Benefit Analysis of Natural Hazard Mitigation.- Costs (Economic) of Natural Hazards and Disasters.- Creep.- Critical Incident Stress Syndrome.- Critical Infrastructure.- Cryological Engineering.- Cultural Heritage and Natural Hazards.- Damage and the Built Environment.- Debris Avalanche.- Debris Flow.- Deep-seated Gravitational Slope Deformation.- Desertification.- Disaster Diplomacy.- Disaster Relief.- Disaster Research and Policy, History.- Disaster Risk Management.- Disaster Risk Reduction.- Disasters.- Dispersive Soil Hazards.- Doppler Weather Radar.- Dose Rate.- Drought.- Dust Bowl.- Dust Devil.- Dust Storm.- Dvorak Classification of Hurricanes.- Early Warning Systems.- Earthquake.- Earthquake Damage.- Earthquake Prediction and Forecasting.- Earthquake Resistant Design.- Economic Valuation of Life.- Economics of Disasters.- Education and Training for Emergency Preparedness.- Elastic Rebound Theory.- Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR).- El Niño/Southern Oscillation.- Emergency Management.- Emergency Mapping.- Emergency Planning.- Emergency Shelter.- Epicenter.- Epidemiology of Disease in Natural Disasters.- Erosion.- Erosivity.- Eruption Types (Volcanic Eruptions).- Evacuation.- Expansive Soils and Clays.- Expert (Knowledge-Based) Systems for Disaster Management.- Exposure to Natural Hazards.- Extensometers.- Extinction.- Extreme Value Theory.- Eyjafjallajökull Eruptions 2010.- Fault.- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).- Fetch.- Fire and Firestorms.- Flash Flood.- Flood Deposits.- Flood Hazard and Disaster.- Flood Protection.- Flood Stage.- Floodplain.- Floodway.- Fog Hazard Mitigation.- Fog Hazards.- Föhn.- Forest and Range Fires.- Frequency and Magnitude of Events.- Frost Hazard.- Fujita Tornado Scale.- Fumarole.- Galeras Volcano, Colombia.- Gas-Hydrates.- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Natural Hazards.- Geographic Information Technology.- Geohazards.- Geological/Geophysical Disasters.- Glacier Hazards.- Global Change and its Implications for Natural Disasters.- Global Dust.- Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction.- Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Natural Hazards.- Global Seismograph Network (GSN).- Haiti Earthquake 2010: Psychosocial Impacts.- Harmonic Tremor.- Hazard.- Hazard and Risk Mapping.- Hazardousness of a Place.- Heat Waves.- High-Rise Buildings in Natural Disaster.- Historical Events.- Hospitals in Disaster.- Human Impacts of Hazards.- Humanity as an Agent of Natural Disasters.- Hurricane (Typhoon, Cyclone).- Hurricane Katrina.- Hydrocompaction Subsidence.- Hydrograph, Flood.- Hydrometeorological Hazards.- Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.- Hypocenter.- Ice and Icebergs.- Ice Storms.- Impact Airblast.- Impact Ejecta.- Impact Fireball.- Impact Firestorms.- Impact Tsunamis.- Impact Winter.- Inclinometers.- Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004.- Induced Seismicity.- Information and Communication Technology.- Insect Hazards.- Insurance.- Integrated Emergency Management System.- Intensity Scales.- International Strategies for Disaster Reduction (IDNDR and ISDR).- Internet, World Wide Web and Natural Hazards.- Isoseismal.- Jökulhlaups.- Karst Hazards.- Krakatoa (Krakatau).- Lahar.- Land Degradation.- Land Subsidence.- Land Use, Urbanization, and Natural Hazards.- Landsat Satellite.- Landslide.- Landslide Dam.- Landslide Impacts.- Landslide Inventory.- Landslide Triggered Tsunami, Displacement Wave.- Landslide Types.- Land-Use Planing.- Lateral Spreading.- Lava.- Levee.- Lightning.- Liquefaction.- Livelihoods and Disasters.- Loess.- Macroseismic Survey.- Magma.- Magnitude Measures.- Marginality.- Marine Hazards.- Mass Media and Natural Disasters.- Mass Movement.- Megacities and Natural Hazards.- Mega-Fires in Greece (2007).- Mercalli, Giuseppe (1850-1914).- Meteorite.- Methane Release from Hydrate.- Mining Subsidence Induced Fault Reactivation.- Misconceptions About Natural Disaster.- Mitigation.- Modified Mercalli (MM) Scale.- Monitoring Natural Hazards.- Monsoons.- Montserrat Eruptions.- Mortality and Injury in Natural Disasters.- Mt Pinatubo.- Mud Volcanoes.- Mudflow.- Myths and Misconceptions in Disasters.- Natural Hazard.- Natural Hazards in Developing Countries.- Natural Radioactivity.- Neotectonics.- Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, Colombia 1985.- North Anatolian Fault.- Nuée Ardente.- Overgrazing.- Ozone.- Ozone Loss.- Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (PTWS).- Pahoehoe Lava.- Paleoflood Hydrology.- Paleoseismology.- Paraglacial.- Perception of Natural Hazards and Disasters.- Permafrost.- Piezometer.- Piping Hazard.- Planning Measures and Political Aspects.- Plate Tectonics.- Pore-Water Pressure.- Post Disaster Mass Care Needs.- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).- Primary Wave (P-Wave).- Probable Maximum Flood (PMF).- Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP).- Psychological Impacts of Natural Disasters.- Pyroclastic Flow.- Queensland Floods (2010-2011) and Tweeting.- Quick Clay.- Quick Sand.- Radiation Hazards.- Radon Hazards.- Recovery and Reconstruction After Disaster.- Recurrence Interval.- Red Cross and Red Crescent.- Red Tides.- Reflections on Modeling Disaster.- Release Rates.- Religion and Hazards.- Remote Sensing of Natural Hazards and Disasters.- Reservoir, Dams, and Seismicity.- Resilience.- Richter, Charles Francis (1900-1985).- Rights and Obligations in International Humanitarian Assistance.- Rip Current.- Risk.- Risk Assessment.- Risk Governance.- Risk Perception and Communication.- Rock Avalanche (Sturzstrom).- Rockfall.- Rogue Wave.- Rotational Seismology.- Sackung.- Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Intensity Scale.- San Andreas Fault.- Santorini, Eruption.- Sea Level Change.- Secondary Wave (S-Wave).- Sedimentation of Reservoirs.- Seiche.- Seismic Gap.- Seismograph/Seismometer.- Seismology.- Shear.- Shield Volcano.- Sinkhole.- Slide and Slump.- Slope Stability.- Snowstorm and Blizzard.- Social-Ecological Systems.- Sociology of Disaster.- Solar Flares.- Solifluction.- Space Weather.- Storm Surges.- Storms.- Stratovolcanoes.- Structural Damage Caused by Earthquakes.- Structural Mitigation.- Subduction.- Subsidence Induced by Underground Extraction.- Sunspots.- Supernova.- Surge.- Susceptibility.- Tangshan, China (1976 Earthquake).- Tectonic and Tectono-Seismic Hazards.- Tectonic Tremor.- Thunderstorms.- Tidal Bores.- Tiltmeters.- Time and Space in Disaster.- Tohoku, Japan (2011 Earthquake and Tsunami).- Torino Scale.- Tornadoes.- Triggered Earthquakes.- Tsunami.- Tsunami Loads on Infrastructure.- Uncertainty.- United Nations Organizations and Natural Disasters.- Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE).- Unreinforced Masonry Buildings.- Urban Environments and Natural Hazards.- Usoi Landslide and Lake Sarez.- Vaiont Landslide, Italy.- Vesuvius.- Volcanic Ash.- Volcanic Gas.- Volcanoes and Volcanic Eruptions.- Vulnerability.- Warning Systems.- Waterspout.- Wenchuan, China (2008 Earthquake).- Wildfire.- World Economy, Impact of Disasters.- Worldwide Trends in Natural Disasters.- Zoning

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Foreword 1. Spatial Science and Its Traditions 2. Literature Reviews 3. Research Questions 4. Data and Methods in Spatial Science 5. Graduate Degree Proposals 6. Grants and Grant Writing 7. Disseminating Research 8. Reflections on Proposal Writing in Spatial Science 9. Model Proposals 10. Thesis I: Human Systems 11. Thesis II: Human Systems-Mixed Methods 12. Dissertation I: Human-Environment Interactions 13. Dissertation II: Geo-Techniques 14. Dissertation III: Physical Systems 15. Extramural Grant I: Collaborative Research and Outreach 16. Extramural Grant II: Instrumentation 17. Extramural III: Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant 18. Intramural Grants Index

Description / Table of Contents: This volume provides comprehensive and authoritative coverage of all the main areas linked to geomagnetic field observation, from instrumentation to methodology, on ground or near-Earth. Efforts are also focused on a 21st century e-Science approach to open access to all geomagnetic data, but also to the data preservation, data discovery, data rescue, capacity building. Finally, modeling magnetic fields with different internal origins, with their variation in space and time, is an attempt to draw together into one place the traditional work in producing models as IGRF or describing the magnetic anomalies.

Description / Table of Contents: Microbial systems in extreme environments and in the deep biosphere may be analogous to potential life on other planetary bodies and hence may be used to investigate the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. This book examines the mode and nature of links between geological processes and microbial activities and their significance for the origin and evolution of life on the Earth and possibly on other planets. This is a truly interdisciplinary science with societal relevance. Inhaltsverzeichnis: Preface. Acknowledgements. Contributors. 1. Oceanic pillow lavas and hyaloclastites as habitats for microbial life through time - a review; H. Furnes et al. 2. Microbial colonization of various habitable niches during alteration of oceanic crust; M. Ivarsson, N.G. Holm. 3. Ambient inclusion trails: their recognition, age range and applicability to early life on earth; D. Wacey et al. 4. Spatial distribution of the subseafloor life: diversity of biogeography; F. Inagaki, S. Nakagawa. 5. Analysis of deep subsurface microbial communities by functional genes and genomics; A. Teske, J. Biddle. 6. Diversity of Behamian stromatolite substrates; R. Ginsburg, N. Planavsky. 7. Evaporite microbial films, mats, microbialites, and stromatolites; R. Brigmon et al. 8. Microbial life in extreme environments: linking geological and microbial processes; H. Dong. 9. Marine methane biochemistry of the Black Sea: a review; T. Pape et al. 10. From volcanic winter to snowball earth: an alternative explanation for neoproterozoic biosphere stress; R.J. Stern et al. Subject index.

Description / Table of Contents: This book is an interdisciplinary review of recent developments in topics including origin of life, microbial-mineral interactions, and microbial processes functioning in marine and terrestrial environments. A major component of this book addresses molecular techniques to evaluate microbial evolution and assess relationships of microbes in complex, natural communities. The function of microbial community members and their possible geological impact are evaluated from a perspective of (meta)genomics, (meta)proteomics, and isotope labeling. As well as summarizing current knowledge in various areas, it also reveals unresolved questions that require future investigations. These chapters enhance our fundamental knowledge of geomicrobiology that contributes to the exploitation of microbial functions in mineral and environmental biotechnology applications. Authors have provided skillful reviews and outlined unique perspectives on environmental microorganisms and their related processes.

Description / Table of Contents: 1. Chemoautotrophic origin of life: the Iron-Sulfur World Hypothesis; Gunter Wachtershauser 2. Evolution of metabolic pathways and evolution of genomes; Giovanni Emiliani, Marco Fondi, Pietro Lio, and Renato Fani 3. Novel cultivation strategies for environmentally important microorganisms; Jorg Overmann 4. Environmental proteomics: Studying structure and function of microbial communities; Thomas Schneider and Kathrin Riedel 5. Analysis of microbial communities by functional gene arrays; Jizhong Zhou, Zhili He, and Joy D. Van Nostrand 6. Probing identity and physiology of uncultured microorganisms with isotope labeling techniques; Alexander Loy and Michael Pester 7. The geomicrobiology of arsenic; Rhesa N. Ledbetter and Timothy S. Magnuson 8. Bioinformatics and genomics of iron- and sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles; Violaine Bonnefoy 9. The geomicrobiology of catastrophe: a comparison of microbial colonization in post-volcanic and impact environments; Charles S. Cockell 10. Microbial diversity of cave ecosystems; Annette S. Engel 11. Statistical evaluation of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in relation to travertine mineral precipitation and water chemistry at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, USA; Hector Garcia Martin, John Veysey, George T. Bonheyo, Nigel Goldenfeld and Bruce W. Fouke 12. Compositional, physiological and metabolic variability in microbial communities associated with geochemically diverse, deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluids; Ken Takai and Kentaro Nakamura 13. The molecular geomicrobiology of bacterial manganese(II) oxidation; Bradley M. Tebo, Kati Geszvain and Sung-Woo Lee 14. Role of microorganisms in banded iron formations; Inga Koehler, Kurt Konhauser and Andreas Kappler 15. Synergistic roles of microorganisms in mineral precipitates associated with deep sea methane seeps; Huifang Xu 16. Bacterial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls; Martina Mackova, Ondrej Uhlik, Petra Lovecka, Jitka Viktorova, Martina Novakova, Katerina Demnerova, Michel Sylvestre and Tomas Macek 17. Role of clay and organic matter in the biodegradation of organics in soil; Laura E. McAllister and Kirk T. Semple 18. Electrodes as electron acceptors, and the bacteria who love them; Daniel R. Bond 19. The biogeochemistry of biomining; Barrie D. Johnson

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Part 1 The European Backgroun - 1.1 Climate Change in Poland in the Past Centuries and its Relationship to European Climate: Evidence From Reconstructions and Coupled Climate Models.- 1. 2 Historical Climate in Central Europe During the Last 500 Years.- 1.3 Climatic Variations in the East European Plain During the Last Millennium: state-of-the-art.- 1.4 The Climate of Europe in Recent Centuries in the Context of the Climate of Mid to High Latitude Northern Hemisphere from Borehole Temperature Logs.- Part 2 The Climate of Poland in Recent Centuries: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge .-2.1 Instrumental Observations -2.2 Documentary Evidence.- 2.3 Dendrochronological Data.- 2.4 Geophysical Data .- 2.5 Summary and Concluding Remarks.- Part 3 The Climate of Poland and Europe in Recent Centuries: New Findings Results.- 3.1 Long-term Changes of Bioclimatic Conditions in Cracow (Poland).- 3.2 Climate Warming in the Czech Republic: Evidence Stored in Shallow Subsurface .- 3.3 History of the Gdansk Pre-instrumental and Instrumental Record of Meteorological Observations and Analysis of Selected Air Pressure Observations..- 3.4 A Composite Reconstruction of the Russian Arctic Climate Back to A.D. 1435.- 3.5 Growth/Climate Relationships in Tree-ring Widths of Picea abies in Lithuania and Poland.- 3.6 Multi-annual Variability of Cloudiness and Sunshine Duration in Cracow Between 1826 and 2005.- 3.7 Changes in Sea Surface Temperature of the South Baltic Sea (1854-2005).- 3.8 Ground Surface Temperature Histories Reconstructed from Boreholes in Poland: Implications for Spatial Variability.- 3.9 Precipitation Extremes and Disastrous Floods in Central Europe in July 1897.- 3.10 Summer Temperatures in the Tatra Mountains during the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715).- 3.11 Seasonal Differentiation of Maximum and Minimum Air Temperature in Cracow and Prague in the Period 1836-2007.- 3.12 Climate Changes in the Central and North-eastern Parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1656 to 1685.- 3.13 The Climate of Polish Lands as Viewed by Chroniclers, Writers and Scientists.- 3.14 Observations and Measurements of Precipitation in the Polish Province of Galicia in the Nineteenth Century.- 3.15 Variability of the European Climate on the Basis of Differentiation of Indicators of Continentalism.- 3.16 The First One Hundred Years (1791-1890) of the Wroclaw Air Temperature.

Description / Table of Contents: This book presents the basic principles of soil dynamics, and a variety of solutions of practical interest for geotechnical engineering, geophysics and earthquake engineering. Emphasis is on analytical solutions, often including the full derivation of the solution, and giving the main parts of computer programs that can be used to calculate numerical data. Reference is also made to a website from which complete computer programs can be downloaded. Soil behaviour is usually assumed to be linear elastic, but in many cases the effect of viscous damping or hysteretic damping, due to plastic deformations, is also considered. Special features are: the analysis of wave propagation in saturated compressible porous media, approximate analysis of the generation of Rayleigh waves, the analysis of the response of soil layers to earthquakes in the deep rock, with a theoretical foundation of such problems by the propagation of Love waves, and the solution of such basic problems as the response of an elastic half space to point loads, line loads, strip loads and moving loads.

Description / Table of Contents: Content: Time series data.- Correlation.- Forecasting strategies.- Basic stochastic models.- Regression.- Stationary models.- Non-stationary models.- Long memory processes.- Spectral analysis.- System identification.- Multivariate models.- State space models.

Description / Table of Contents: Perpectives on Integrated Solid Earth Sciences.- 3D Crustal Model of Western and Central Europe as a Basis for Modelling Mantle Structure.- Thermal and Rheological Model of the European Lithosphere.- Thermo-mechanical Models for Coupled Lithosphere-surface Processes.- Achievements and Challenges in Sedimentary Basins Dynamics.- Recent Developments in Earthquake Hazards Studies.- Passive Seismic Monitoring of Natural and Induced Earthquakes: Case Studies, Future Directions and Socio-Economic Relevance.- Non-Volcanic Tremor and Slow Slip.- Volcanism in Reverse and Strike-Slip Fault Settings.- DynaQlim - Upper Mantle Dynamics and Quaternary Climate in Cratonic Areas.- Ultradeep Rocks and Diamonds in the Light of Advanced Scientific Technologies.- New Views of the Earth's Inner Core from Computational Mineral Physics.

Description / Table of Contents: Soils long have been taken for granted being so commonplace and lacking often striking features. However, soil is one of the most complex media on Earth, vital for the biogeosphere and human civilization. With increased usage of soil for world food production, building materials, waste repositories, etc awareness has grown for the need of better global understanding of soil and its processes. The Encyclopedia of Soil Science provides a comprehensive, alphabetical treatment of basic soil science in a single volume. It constitutes a wide ranging and authorative collection of about 160 academic articles covering the salient aspects of soil physics, chemistry, biology, fertility, technology, genesis, morphology, classification and geomorphology.The longer articles by leading authorities from around the world are being supplemented by ca 430 definitions of common terms in soil sciences. It should be emphasized though that the volume is not a dictionary but represents a compendium of knowledge.

Description / Table of Contents: Modern seismology has faced new challenges in the study of earthquakes and their physical characteristics. This volume is dedicated to the use of new approaches and presents a state of the art in historical seismology. Selected historical and recent earthquakes are chosen to document and constrain related seismic parameters using updated methodologies in the macroseismic analysis, field observations of damage distribution and tectonic effects, and modelling of seismic waveforms. A critical re-evaluation of historical accounts and early seismograms provides us with the basis for a realistic seismic hazard assessment.- A glimpse into the seismicity of the Ionian Islands between 1658 and 1664.- The earthquake of April 4, 1640 in the Lower Rhine Embayment.- The Value of Descriptive Earthquake Catalogues of the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the Middle East.- Sources of the 1692 and 1907 earthquakes in Jamaica.- Quantitative analysis of early seismograph recordings.- The Late 17th century earthquakes in Northwest Africa: how many (if any)?.- Richter magnitude evaluation: from historical macroseismic data to seismic waveform modelling.- In troubled times, in a divided country: the Upper Tiber Valley earthquake of 1789.- Can we improve the knowledge of historical seismicity of France, and elsewhere?.- The seismicity of Central Alps: seismological and archaeological traces, geological evidence and open problems.- The 1855 Visp (Switzerland) Earthquake: A Milestone in Macroseismic Methodology?.- Large Historical Earthquakes in Eastern/Central North America: Fact and Fiction.- Benson Making Seismograms Accessible from Historical Seismogram Filming to the Online SeismoArchives.- Attenuation of intensity for the Zemmouri earthquake of May 2003 (Mw 6.8): Insights for the seismic hazard assessment in northern Algeria.- Earthquake Fault Ruptures and Historical Seismology : A decisive step for a better constraint of the active deformation.- The case for large (M〉7) earthquakes felt in the UK in historical times.- Earthquake effects on nature and macroseismic intensity scales.- Interpretation of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake based on the historical observations of different physical phenomena.- Review of historical earthquakes in the lower middle age: earthquakes of the XIV and XV centuries in Catalonia (NE Spain).- What is the lowest magnitude threshold at which an earthquake can be felt or heard, or objects thrown into the air?

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Introduction. 2. The water cycle 2.1 Distribution of water on earth 2.2 The Continental Water Cycle 2.2.1 Components of the Water CycleRainfall and hydrological characteristics of different climate zones 2.3 The vadose zone and its water balance for different climate zones 2.4 Rechargeable and "fossil" groundwater and water exploitation 2.5 The place of recharge in the water cycle 3. Mechanisms and processes of recharge 3.1 The input: precipitation and snow melt 3.2 Wet and dry deposition at the interface atmosphere/lithosphere/biosphere 3.3 Overland-flow and infiltration 3.4 Matrix-flow and preferential-flow 3.5 Inter-flow 3.6 River-infiltration. 3.7 Artificial recharge 3.8 Water vapour fluxes in the subsurface 4. Research tools and methods in the study of recharge 4.1 Water balance estimates 4.1.1 Estimate of evapo-transpiration 4.1.2 Hydrograph methods 4.2 Lysimeter studies 4.3 Hydraulic methods 4.4 Isotope and chemical tracers 4.4.1 Stable isotopes and dating methodologies 4.5 Water sampling and sample conservation 4.6 Comparison between tracers and conventional techniques 5. Recharge under different climate regimes and their chemical and isotope signatures 5.1 Humid tropical climates 5.2 Humid temperate climates 5.2.1 Conceptual models 5.2.2 Water balance and separation of discharge components 5.2.3 Chemistry of groundwater recharge 5.3 Semi-arid climates 5.4 Arid climates 5.5 Cold climates 6. Mans impact on the groundwater recharge 6.1 Land use changes: agricultural activities and urbanization 6.2 Return waters from irrigated areas, industrial activities and urban areas 6.3 Salinization and pollution 6.4 Imported waters 6.5 Global changes on the water cycle

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Warning Guidance. - Hazard Assessment. - Mitigation.