ALBERT

Description / Table of Contents: This Atlas and accompanying CD-ROM contains oceanographic data collected by the scientific specialists of the Academy of Sciences, Ministery of Fisheries, and the Hydrometeorological Service of Russia in the Sea of Azov and the adjacent part of the Black Sea during 1913 - 2004. Monthly data distribution plots are provided for each year. Monthly climatic maps of temperature and salinity at the sea surface and depth levels of 5 and 10 meters are computed using opjective analysis. Intra-annual variability of temperature and salinity of the Sea of Azov is discussed with respect to the quality control of the primary data. The Atlas also includes, in electronic format, selected copies of rare books and articles about the history of the Sea of Azov exploration and climate studies as well as photos, which provide information about the people and environment of this region.

Description / Table of Contents: Very Long Baseline Inferometry (VLBI) can be divided into two main areas of application. The first is geodesy which is covered in detail in this work, and astrometry, or radio astronomy, which receives briefer treatment.VLBI is an acronym for Very Long Baseline Inferometry, and can be roughly divided into two areas of application. The first area is in geodesy, which is covered in considerable detail in this book. The second area is in astrometry, or radio astronomy, which is only briefly treated in the book. Many people probably relate geodesy and land surveying more with geology and geography than with space-based measuring techniques; and at least through the first half of the 20th century, geodesy was largely based on knowledge in these fields. Surveyors were generally considered as technicians or craftsmen. Modern GPS (global positioning systems) is probably best known for its use in automobile navigation, but such space-based measuring systems have made tremendous advances in the field of geodesy as well. The most notable results obtained by VLBI so far has been the global-scale measuring of the movements of the tectonic plates which cover the surface of the earth. Details of this achievement are discussed in the book, but the primary focus of the material covered here remains an investigation of how VLBI can conduct these measurements with such high level of precision.The book also explains how various aspects of system hardware, software and data analysis techniques can be effectively combined to yield a measurement accuracy that is four orders in magnitude better than conventional surveying techniques. VLBI requires knowledge in many areas of science and engineering.

Description / Table of Contents: "This is a hands-on guide for graduate students and other young researchers wishing to perfect the practical skills that are needed for a successful career in research. By teaching junior scientists to develop effective research habits, the book helps make the experience of graduate study a more efficient, effective and rewarding one. Many graduate students learn these skills "on the job", often by doing them poorly at first, with the result that much valuable time can be lost; this book will help prevent that. The authors have taught a graduate course on the topics covered in this book for many years, and provide a sample curriculum for instructors in graduate schools who wish to teach a similar course. ... The wealth of advice offered in this book is invaluable to students, junior researchers and their mentors in all fields of science, engineering and the humanities."

Description / Table of Contents: Synthetic aperture radar provides broad-area imaging at high resolutions, which is used in applications such as environmental monitoring, earth-resource mapping, and military systems. This book presents the tools required for the digital processing of synthetic aperture radar images. They are of three types: (a) the elements of physics, (b) mathematical models and (c) image processing methods adapted to particular applications.

Description / Table of Contents: Chapter 1. The physical basis of synthetic aperture radar imagery (Jean-Marie Nicolas and Sylvie Le Hegarat-Mascle). Chapter 2. The principles of synthetic aperture radar (Jean-Marie Nicolas and Frederic Adragna). Chapter 3. Existing satellite SAR systems (Jean-Marie Nicolas and Frederic Adragna). Chapter 4. Synthetic aperture radar images (Frederic Adragna, Sylvie Le Hegarat-Mascle and Jean-Marie Nicolas). Chapter 5. Speckle models (Armand Lopes, Rene Garello and Sylvie Le Hegarat-Mascle). Chapter 6. Estimation of reflectivity and filtering of SAR images (Armand Lopes, Florence Tupin and Sylvie Le Hegarat-Mascle). Chapter 7. Classification of SAR images (Danielle Ducrot, Florence Tupin and Sylvie Le Hegarat-Mascle). Chapter 8. Detection of points, contours and lines (Florence Tupin and Armand Lopes). Chapter 9. Geometry and relief (Frederic Adragna). Chapter 10. Radar-grammetry (Henri Maitre). Chapter 11. Radar-clinometry (Henri Maitre). Chapter 12. Interferometry (Frederic Adragna and Jean-Marie Nicolas). Chapter 13. Phase unwrapping (Emmanuel Trouve and Henri Maitre). Chapter 14. Radar oceanography (Jean-Marc Le Caillec and Rene Garello).

Description / Table of Contents: This volume provides a comprehensive, up-to-date account of how the physical and biological environment of the Antarctic continent and Southern Ocean has changed from Deep Time until the present day. It also considers how the Antarctic environment may change over the next century in a world where greenhouse gas concentrations are much higher than occurred over the last few centuries. The Antarctic is a highly coupled system with non-linear interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, ice and biota, along with complex links to the rest of the Earth system. Inpreparing this volume our approach has been highly cross-disciplinary, with the goal of reflecting the importance of the continent in global issues, such as sea level rise, the separation of natural climate variability from anthropogenic influences, food stocks, biodiversity and carbon uptake by the ocean. One hundred experts in Antarctic science have contributed and drafts of the manuscript were reviewed by over 200 scientists. We hope that it will be of value to all scientists with an interest in the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean, policy makers and those concerned with the deployment of observing systems and the development of climate models.

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: Introduction ; The era of ruptures ; The new world economy ; Is there a European social model? ; Conclusion

Description / Table of Contents: This book uncovers the key role microbes play in the transformation of Oxidizable and Reducible Minerals. Many areas of geomicrobial processes are receiving serious attention from microbiologists, specifically the role microbes play in the formation and degradation of minerals and fossil fuels and elemental cycling. Most notably, the latest research finds that microbes have a more direct impact on the transformation of oxidizable and reducible minerals than was previously believed. Following in the footsteps of its prior editions, "Geomicrobiology, Fifth Edition" serves as an introduction to this globally pertinent field and as an up-to-date reference reflecting recent groundbreaking advances.It includes an array of detailed illustrations. Authored by two of the leading authorities in the field, this book illuminates the processes by which bacteria catalyze geomicrobial reactions. Generously laden with tables, graphics, diagrams, photographs, and illustrations, this all-encompassing reference examines the geomicrobial aspects of a wide range of minerals, including aluminum- and arsenic-containing minerals, and various fossil fuels.It examines Geomicrobial Interactions with: Silicon, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Arsenic, Polonium, Plutonium, Manganese, Antimony, Chromium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Uranium, and Iron. One of life's great mysteries is how it sustains itself even in seemingly inhospitable environments, such as the deep subsurface. The authors anticipate that as mechanistic molecular approaches are increasingly applied to diverse problems in geomicrobiology, this and other fundamental puzzles will be resolved.

Description / Table of Contents: MARINE CARBON CYCLE --- Global Scale --- Characterization of Ocean Productivity Using a New Physical-Biological Coupled Ocean Model / K. Nakata, T. Doi, K. Taguchi and S. Aoki / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 1-44 --- Natural Radiocarbon Distribution in the Deep Ocean / K. Matsumoto and R. M. Key / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 45-58 --- Equatorial Region --- Variability of Surface Layer CO2 Parameters in the Western and Central Equatorial Pacific / M. Ishii, S. Saito, T. Tokieda, T. Kawano, K. Matsumoto and H. Y. Inoue / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 59-94 --- Settling Particles Flux in Response to El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the Equatorial Pacific / H. Kawahata and L. P. Gupta / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 95-108 --- Particulate Amino Acids and Biogeochemical Processes in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean during the 1999-2001 La Niña Event / L. P. Gupta and H. Kawahata / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 109-120 --- Floral Response of Coccolithophores to Progressive Oligotrophication in the South Equatorial Current, Pacific Ocean / K. Hagino and H. Okada / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 121-132 --- Coccolith Carbonate Fluxes in the Northwest Pacific Ocean / Y. Tanaka / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 133-146 --- Western Pacfic --- Artificial Radionuclides in the Western North Pacific: A Review / G. H. Hong, M. Baskaran and P. P. Povinec / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 147-172 --- Material Transport Processes on the Continental Margin in the East China Sea / M. Yamada / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 173-187 --- Cadmium Distribution in the Western Pacific / K. Abe / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 189-203 --- Ocean Environments in Response to Climatic Change --- Climate Reconstructions from Annually Banded Corals / T. Felis and J. Pätzold / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 205-227 --- Reef Water CO2 System and Carbon Production of Coral Reefs: Topographic Control of System-Level Performance / A. Suzuki and H. Kawahata / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 229-248 --- Chemistry of Benthic Foraminiferal Shells for Recording Ocean Environments: Cd/Ca, d13C and Mg/Ca / K. Tachikawa and H. Elderfield / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 249-263 --- Have the Tropical Pacific Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions Behaved as a Driver of Centennial- to Orbital-Scale Climate Changes? / M. Yamamoto / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 265-278 --- Long Term Variations of Uranium Isotopes and Radiocarbon in the Surface Seawater Recorded in Corals / Y. Yokoyama and T. M. Esat / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 279-309 --- TERRESTRIAL CARBON CYCLE --- A Multi-Scale Analysis of a National Terrestrial Carbon Budget and the Effects of Land-Use Change / C. M. Trotter, K. R. Tate, S. Saggar, N. A. Scott and M. A. Sutherland / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 311-341 --- Global Mapping of Terrestrial Primary Productivity and Light-Use Efficiency with a Process-Based Model / A. Ito and T. Oikawa / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 343-358 --- Carbon and Nitrogen Accumulation in a Savanna Landscape: Field and Modeling Perspectives / S. Archer, T. W. Boutton and C. R. McMurtry / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 359-373 --- Estimating Dynamics of CO2 Flux in Agro-Ecosystems based on Synergy of Remote Sensing and Process Modeling-A Methodological Study / Y. Inoue and A. Olioso / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 375-390 --- Changes in Productivity of East and South Asian Countries in the 21st Century: Regional Trends According to Climate Change / K. Okamoto, M. Yokozawa and H. Kawashima / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 391-399 --- A Preliminary Study on the Carbon Dynamics of China's Forest Ecosystems in the Past 20 Years / P. Gong, J. Chen and M. Xu / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 401-410 --- Retrieval of Forest Fire History in Far East Asia by Remote Sensing and Its Analysis with Biomass Burning Simulation and Climate Anomalies / J. Kuçera and Y. Yasuoka / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 411-424 --- Potential of Woody Carbon Stock Estimation Using High Spatial Resolution Imagery: A Case Study of Spruce Stands / Y. Awaya, S. Tsuyuki, E. Kodani and G. Takao / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 425-440 --- Multi-Temporal MODIS Data Product for Carbon Cycles Research / Z. Dafang, L. Ronggao and S. Runhe / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 441-451 --- Photosynthetic Characteristics of Mixed Deciduous-Broadleaf Forests from Leaf to Stand / T. Koike, S. Kitaoka, T. Ichie, T. T. Lei and M. Kitao / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 453-472 --- Effect of Free-Air CO2 Enrichment on Structures of Weed Communities and CO2 Exchange at the Flood-Water Surface in a Rice Paddy Field / H. Koizumi, T. Kibe, T. Nakadai, Y. Yazaki, M. Adachi, M. Inatomi, M. Kondo and T. Ohtsuka / Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land, / pp. 473-485

Description / Table of Contents: Part I: Outline of the physical processes within mangrove systems --- Chapter 1: Introduction --- Chapter 2: Present state of mangrove studies from a physical viewpoint --- Chapter 3: Physical factors that shape mangrove environments --- Chapter 4: Hydrodynamics and physics that support the mangrove environment --- Chapter 5: Feedback processes that maintain the mangrove environment --- Chapter 6: Research technology --- Chapter 7: Modeling of mangrove systems --- Chapter 8: Future studies in the context of the preservation and utilization of mangroves

Description / Table of Contents: On September 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), prohibiting nuclear explosions worldwide, in all environments. The treaty calls for a global verification system, including a network of 321 monitoring stations distributed around the globe, a data communications network, an international data center (IDC), and on-site inspections to verify compliance. Seismic methods play the lead role in monitoring the CTBT. This volume concentrates on the measurement and use of surface waves in monitoring the CTBT. Surface waves have three principal applications in CTBT monitoring: to help discriminate nuclear explosions from other sources of seismic energy, to provide mathematical characterizations of the seismic energy that emanates from seismic sources, and to be used as data in inversion for the seismic velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle for locating small seismic events regionally. The papers in this volume fall into two general categories: the development and/or application of methods to summarize information in surface waves, and the use of these summaries to advance the art of surface-wave identification, measurement, and source characterization. These papers cut across essentially all of the major applications of surface waves to monitoring the CTBT. This volume therefore provides a general introduction to the state of research in this area and should be useful as a guide for further exploration.

Description / Table of Contents: Understanding, modeling and prediction of mesoscale processes in the atmosphere, ocean and environmental systems have gained importance in the last decade or so. This is because of the availability of more sophisticated observational systems, provided by technological innovations and more realistic simulations using advanced dynamical models. This volume contains many original findings on mesoscale processes in atmospheric and oceanic systems through mathematical modeling, numerical simulations and field experiments. These scientific papers examine and provide the latest developments on a range of topics that include tropical cyclones/hurricanes, mesoscale variability and modeling, seasonal monsoons and land surface processes including atmospheric boundary layer.

Description / Table of Contents: In the last decade of the 20th century, there has been great progress in the physics of earthquake generation; that is, the introduction of laboratory-based fault constitutive laws as a basic equation governing earthquake rupture, quantitative description of tectonic loading driven by plate motion, and a microscopic approach to study fault zone processes. The fault constitutive law plays the role of an interface between microscopic processes in fault zones and macroscopic processes of a fault system, and the plate motion connects diverse crustal activities with mantle dynamics. An ambitious challenge for us is to develop realistic computer simulation models for the complete earthquake process on the basis of microphysics in fault zones and macro-dynamics in the crust-mantle system. Recent advances in high performance computer technology and numerical simulation methodology are bringing this vision within reach. The book consists of two parts and presents a cross-section of cutting-edge research in the field of computational earthquake physics. Part I includes works on microphysics of rupture and fault constitutive laws, and dynamic rupture, wave propagation and strong ground motion. Part II covers earthquake cycles, crustal deformation, plate dynamics, and seismicity change and its physical interpretation. Topics in Part II range from the 3-D simulations of earthquake generation cycles and interseismic crustal deformation associated with plate subduction to the development of new methods for analyzing geophysical and geodetical data and new simulation algorithms for large amplitude folding and mantle convection with viscoelastic/brittle lithosphere, as well as a theoretical study of accelerated seismic release on heterogeneous faults, simulation of long-range automaton models of earthquakes, and various approaches to earthquake predicition based on underlying physical and/or statistical models for seismicity change.

Description / Table of Contents: Natural hazards events such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions involve activation of coupled thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical processes in rocks. The present book assembles unpublished contributions to the 7th Euro-Conference on Rock Physics and Geomechanics, held in 2007 in Erice, Italy. It presents new laboratory data, theoretical and numerical rock physics models and field observations relevant to the study of natural hazards. In particular, several papers are devoted to rock failure and explore the relationship between the competing deformation micro-mechanisms. Several others investigate shear-induced anisotropy of mechanical and/or transport properties, both in large-scale geologic objects and in laboratory samples. The remaining papers treat various aspects of rock physics and their industrial applications such as geothermics and reservoir characterization.

Description / Table of Contents: Terrestrial fluids, earthquakes and volcanoes: The Hiroshi Wakita volume III is a special publication to honor Professor Hiroshi Wakita for his scientific contribution to science, which has been closely linked with one of the major objectives of this 2008 International Year for the Earth Planet. Reducing natural risks in active tectonic and volcanic environments by searching and detecting early warning hydrological and geochemical signatures related to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions has been a major life research goal for Hiroshi Wakita. This third special issue of Pure and Applied Geophysics consists of 9 original papers written by researchers from Taiwan, Italy, Turkey, Iceland, USA, Sweden, India and Spain dealing with various aspects of the role of terrestrial fluids in earthquake and volcanic processes. It also includes a list of Hiroshi Wakita’s scientific publications. This volume III will be useful to students and professional researchers who are interested in the role of terrestrial fluids in earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Description / Table of Contents: Glycostructures play a pivotal and crucial role in a myriad of organisms and important systems in biology, physiology, medicine, bioengineering and technology. Within recent years tools have been developed to promote the understanding of their highly complex functions and the associated chemistry and chemical biology, however, many facts still remain undiscovered. These days the area is experiencing a “quantum jump”. Therefore the Editors in collaboration with six responsible Section Editors completely revised and updated the 1st edition to give up-to-date information on glycostructures, their chemistry and chemical biology, and present them in the form of a comprehensive and strictly systematic survey. The texts are furnished by more than 2500 figures, chemical structures and reaction schemes (including more than 12,000 individual chemical reactions), and more than 9,000 references. In concept and content this Major Reference Work received an essential improvement and expansion. Whereas chapter 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 are updated, expanded and rearranged versions of the 1st edition, many new subchapters are included in the chapters on monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. The importance of the saccharide metabolism as well as the involvement of complex glycostructures in biologically and medically relevant processes are considered by addition of two large totally newly conceived chapters. Further, another novel chapter featuring key technologies and tools for functional glycobiology is incorporated. Responsible for this major update are the Section Editors who solicited a large number of highly reputed new authors to cover the changes in the content and to write the major supplements.

Description / Table of Contents: This second special issue of Pure and Applied Geophysics in honor of Keiiti Aki focuses on recent advances in quantifying and interpreting heterogeneities in lithosperic structures and earthquake behavior. The volume provides a combination of reviews, methodological studies and applications on topics related to Aki's pioneering contributions. It also includes material on Keiiti Aki and a list of his publications. The discussed subjects include research associated with dynamic earthquake rupture, studies on imaging earthquake locations and structures using P and S seismic phases, and studies associated with imaging source and structure properties using scattered coda waves. The volume will be useful to students and researchers alike, who are interested in the nature of large- and small-scale heterogeneities in the earth's lithosphere and earthquake properties.

Description / Table of Contents: In the wake of the disastrous tsunami which struck Papua New Guinea in 1998, this volume presents 20 state-of-the-art contributions on landslide tsunamis, including earthquake characteristics and ground motions, modeling of landslides in geotechnical engineering, field surveys on land and at sea, simulations of past, present, and potential future tsunamis, and theoretical studies of tsunami generation by landslides.

Description / Table of Contents: Geophysicists use seismic signals to image structures in the Earth's interior, to understand the mechanics of earthquake and volcanic sources, and to estimate their associated hazards. Keiiti Aki developed pioneering quantitative methods for extracting useful information from various portions of observed seismograms and applied these methods to many problems in the above fields. This volume honors Aki's contributions with review papers and results from recent applications by his former students and scientific associates pertaining to topics spawned by his work. Discussed subjects include analytical and numerical techniques for calculating dynamic rupture and radiated seismic waves, stochastic models used in engineering seismology, earthquake and volcanic source processes, seismic tomography, properties of lithospheric structures, analysis of scattered waves, and more. The volume will be useful to students and professional geophysicists alike.

Description / Table of Contents: A Complutense International Seminar on "Earth Sciences and Mathematics" was organised and held in Madrid at the Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in September 2006. Scientists from both fields, Mathematics and Earth Sciences, took part in this International Seminar, addressing scientific problems related to our planet from clearly complementary approaches, seeking to gain and learn from this dual approach and proposing a closer collaboration in the near future. This volume is the second one of a Topical Issue on "Earth Sciences and Mathematics" and contains papers addressing different topics as analysis of InSAR time series, fuzzy classification for remote sensing, modelling gravitational instabilities, geodynamical evolution of the Alboran Sea, statistical warning systems for volcanic hazards, analysis of solutions for the hydrological cycle, study of the ice flow, magma intrusion in elastic layered media, river channel formation, Hartley transform filters for continuous GPS, and deformation modeling.

Description / Table of Contents: On September 10, 1996, The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Copmprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), prohibiting nuclear explosions worldwide, in all environments. The treaty calls for a global verification system, including a network of 321 monitoring stations distributed around the globe, a data communications network, an international data center (IDC), and on-site inspections, to verify compliance. This volume presents certain recent research results pertaining on methods used to process data recorded by instruments of the International Monitoring System (IMS) and addressing recording infrasound signals generated by atmospheric explosions. Six papers treating data processing provide an important selection of topics expected to contribute to improving our ability to successfully monitor a CTBT. Five papers concerning infrasound include descriptions of ways in which that important research area can contribute to CTBT monitoring, the automatic processing of infrasound data, and site conditions that serve to improve the quality of infrasound data.

Description / Table of Contents: The tragedy of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has led to a rapid expansion in science directed at understanding tsunami and mitigating their hazard. A remarkable cross-section of this research was presented in the session: Tsunami Generation and Hazard, at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics XXIV General Assembly in Perugia, held in July of 2007. Over one hundred presentations were made at this session, spanning topics ranging from paleotsunami research, to nonlinear shallow-water theory, to tsunami hazard and risk assessment. A selection of this work, along with other contributions from leading tsunami scientists, is published in detail in the 28 papers of this special issue of Pure and Applied Geophysics: Tsunami Science Four Years After the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Part I of this issue includes 14 papers covering the state-of-the-art in tsunami modelling and hazard assessment. Another 14 papers are published in Part II focusing on observations and data analysis.

Description / Table of Contents: The 14th International Symposium for the Advancement of Boundary Layer Remote Sensing (ISARS 2008) addresses acoustical, optical and microwave techniques to probe the lower part of the atmosphere. The symposium focuses on the physical basis of remote sensing techniques and new instruments. A theme for the conference is also various applications of remote sensing, this year with special emphasis on wind energy. ISARS is an informal association of scientists from all over the world which organizes a symposium every second year. While the abbreviation ISARS has remained unchanged since the start in Calgary 1981, the words have changed from International Symposium on Acoustic Remote Sensing and Associated Techniques of the Atmosphere and Oceans because other techniques than the acoustic have become important for boundary layer remote sensing. Specifically lasers for remote wind sensing are developing rapidly. By the end of each symposium the chairman of the next has been elected. So far the symposia have taken place in different countries each time with different chairs. The scientific organizing committee, which consists mainly of chair persons of previous symposia, maintains the continuity of themes and of the organization in general. After the last symposium held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, many of the papers appeared in revised and improved form in a special issue of Meteorologische Zeitschrift. A similar special issue is also planned to follow ISARS 2008. I wish to express my gratitude to the scientific organizing committee for valuable advice and to the local organizing committee for all their effort with the conference papers and the conference itself. Jakob Mann, Conference Chair

Description / Table of Contents: Caldera-formation is one of the most awe-inspiring and powerful displays of nature's force. Resultant deposits may cover vast areas and significantly alter the immediate topography. Post-collapse activity may include resurgence, unrest, intra-caldera volcanism and potentially the start of a new magmatic cycle, perhaps eventually leading to renewed collapse. Since volcanoes and their eruptions are the surface manifestation of magmatic processes, calderas provide key insights into the generation and evolution of large-volume silicic magma bodies in the Earth's crust. Despite their potentially ferocious nature, calderas play a crucial role in modern society's life. Collapse calderas host essential economic deposits and supply power for many via the exploitation of geothermal reservoirs, and thus receive considerable scientific, economic and industrial attention. Calderas also attract millions of visitors world-wide with their spectacular scenic displays. To build on the outcomes of the 2005 calderas workshop in Tenerife (Spain) and to assess the most recent advances on caldera research, a follow-up meeting was proposed to be held in Mexico in 2008. This abstract volume presents contributions to the 2nd Calderas Workshop held at Hotel Misión La Muralla, Querétaro, Mexico, 19–25 October 2008. The title of the workshop `Reconstructing the evolution of collapse calderas: Magma storage, mobilisation and eruption' set the theme for five days of presentations and discussions, both at the venue as well as during visits to the surrounding calderas of Amealco, Amazcala and Huichapan. The multi-disciplinary workshop was attended by more than 40 scientist from North, Central and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Contributions covered five thematic topics: geology, geochemistry/petrology, structural analysis/modelling, geophysics, and hazards...

Description / Table of Contents: The Beyond Kyoto conference in Aarhus March 2009 was organised in collaboration with other knowledge institutions, businesses and authorities. It brought together leading scientists, policy-makers, authorities, intergovernmental organisations, NGO's, business stakeholders and business organisations. The conference was a joint interdisciplinary project involving many academic areas and disciplines. These conference proceedings are organised in central and recurring themes that cut across many debates on climate change, the climatic challenges as well as the solutions. In the front there is a short presentation of the conference concept. Part I of the proceedings focuses on issues related to the society – covering climate policy, law, market based instruments, financial structure, behaviour and consumption, public participation, media communication and response from indigenous peoples etc. Part II of the proceedings concerns the scientific knowledge base on climate related issues – covering climate change processes per se, the potential impacts of projected climate change on biodiversity and adaptation possibilities, the interplay between climate, agriculture and biodiversity, emissions, agricultural systems, increasing pressure on the functioning of agriculture and natural areas, vulnerability to extreme weather events and risks in respect to sea-level rise etc...

Description / Table of Contents: Exciting developments in earthquake science have benefited from new observations, improved computational technologies, and improved modeling capabilities. Designing models of the earthquake of the earthquake generation process is a grand scientific challenge due to the complexity of phenomena and range of scales involved from microscopic to global. Such models provide powerful new tools for the study of earthquake precursory phenomena and the earthquake cycle. Through workshops, collaborations and publications the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulations (ACES) aims to develop realistic supercomputer simulation models for the complete earthquake generation process, thus providing a "virtual laboratory" to probe earthquake behavior. Part I of the book covers microscopic simulations, scaling physics and earthquake generation and cycles. This part also focuses on plate processes and earthquake generation from a macroscopic standpoint.

Description / Table of Contents: Reconstructing past climate and past ocean circulation demands the highest possible precision and accuracy which urges the scientific community to look at different sediment records such as the ones from coastal zones to deep-sea with a more complete set of technical and methodological tools. However, the information given by each tool varies in precision, accuracy and in significance according to their environmental settings. It is therefore essential to compare tools. With that in mind, and as part of the International year of Planet Earth, a workshop entitled `From deep-sea to coastal zones: Methods and Techniques for studying palaeoenvironments' took place in Faro (Portugal), from 25–29 February 2008 in order to: present several methods and techniques that can be used for studying sediments from deep-sea to coastal zones, namely for reconstructing palaeoenvironments in order to document past climatic changes and short to long-term environmental processes; allow cross experience between different fields and specialties, either from deep-sea to coastal zones or from micropaleontology to geochemistry; give the opportunity to students from different universities and countries to attend the workshop; publish a special volume on the presented methods and techniques during the workshop. The workshop was organized in four non-parallel sessions dealing with the use of micropaleontology, isotopes, biogeochemistry and sedimentology, as tools for palaeoenvironmental studies. The present IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science proceedings reflect this organization and papers are published in each theme. The papers are either short reviews or case studies and are highlighted below. The remains of microorganisms found in sediments are the main proxies used in micropaleontological studies. However, the link between fossilized remains and their living origin is not easy to reconstruct only based on the geologic/sedimentary record. Accordingly, Barbosa presents a review of the actual knowledge of living phytoplankton dynamics and the processes, or environmental conditions, which could contribute to the production of fossilized biogenic remains. In the next paper, de Vernal presents a review, based on several case studies, on how palynological fossils observed in sediments are used in tracing biogenic fluxes, characterizing sedimentary environments, or even reconstructing hydrographical conditions and productivity. The two other papers presented in the micropaleontological proxy section are case studies on the use of dinoflagellates (Rochon) and calcareous plankton remains (Guerreiro et al), respectively, to better understand their local or regional environmental living characteristics ant therefore their specific interpretation for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction at a regional scale. Isotopic proxies can be used either as provenance tracers or as chronometers of different processes. Once again, each study can provide a very specific framework of the proxies' use and it is very important to know and evaluate the limits of these tools in each environment and/or type of analyzed material. Accordingly, the two first articles deal with the study of organic carbon either by carbon and oxygen stable isotopes (Hélie) or by radiocarbon (Mollhenhauer and Rethemeyer) analysis. The two other articles in this section deal with the use of radioisotopes. Ghaleb reviews the methods for measuring short-lived radiosisotopes in sediments, giving examples of their use for estimating recent sedimentary accumulation rates; whereas Hillaire-Marcel reviews the potential use of U-series isotopes as radiochronometers in biogenic carbonates. Geochemistry groups more than one field of expertise. However, in the present section, inorganic geochemistry is not treated and both articles present work on a very specific, and at the same time very complex, compound of the organic matter realm: black carbon. As such, Veilleux et al present a density fractionation method for isolating the small quantities of soot-like and graphitic material usually found in natural samples, whereas González-Vila et al. illustrate the potential of the combined use of analytical pyrolysis and solid state 13C NMR to determine the presence of black carbon and to characterize the refractory organic matter in marine sediments from the Gulf of Cadiz (Spain). In the last section, two papers are presented and discuss sedimentological proxies. In their paper, using diffuse spectral reflectance data, Veiga-Pires and Mestre try to determine if `twinned cores' (or paired cores) can be used as duplicate records to increase the volume of sediments collected in the field, whereas Drago et al discuss the use of fish remains in sediments for the reconstruction of paleoproductivity. Each of the above papers benefited from the constructive comments of at least two reviewers and we wish to sincerely thank the reviewers for their timely evaluation. We also thank the participants, volunteers and organizers of the workshop for their implication, making this first workshop on Methods and Techniques for studying palaeoenvironments (METECH) a success. The workshop and this proceeding would not have been possible without the financial and logistical support of GEOTOP, CIMA, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FACC07/1/1315) and IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science...

Description / Table of Contents: This volume of IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science presents a selection of papers that were given at the WMO/GEO Expert Meeting on an International Sand and Dust Storm Warning System hosted by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center – Centro Nacional de Supercomputación in Barcelona (Spain) on 7-9 November 2007 (http://www.bsc.es/wmo). A sand and dust storm (SDS) is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions and arises when a gust front passes or when the wind force exceeds the threshold value where loose sand and dust are removed from the dry surface. After aeolian uptake, SDS reduce visibility to a few meters in and near source regions, and dust plumes are transported over distances as long as thousands of kilometres. Aeolian dust is unique among aerosol phenomena: (1) with the possible exception of sea-salt aerosol, it is globally the most abundant of all aerosol species, (2) it appears as the dominating component of atmospheric aerosol over large areas of the Earth, (3) it represents a serious hazard for life, health, property, environment and economy (occasionally reaching the grade of disaster or catastrophic event) and (4) its influence, impacts, complex interactions and feedbacks within the Earth System span a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. From a political and societal point of view, the concern for SDS and the need for international cooperation were reflected after a survey conducted in 2005 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in which more than forty WMO Member countries expressed their interest for creating or improving capacities for SDS warning advisory and assessment. In this context, recent major advances in research – including, for example, the development and implementation of advanced observing systems, the theoretical understanding of the mechanisms responsible for sand and dust storm generation and the development of global and regional dust models – represent the basis for developing applications focusing on societal benefit and risk reduction. However, at present there are interdisciplinary research challenges to overwhelm current uncertainties in order to reach full potential. Furthermore, the community of practice for SDS observations, forecasts and analyses is mainly scientifically based and rather disconnected from potential users. This requires the development of interfaces with operational communities at international and national levels, strongly focusing on the needs of people and factors at risk ... The general objective of the WMO/GEO Expert Meeting on an International Sand and Dust Storm Warning System was to discuss and recommend actions needed to develop a global routine SDS-WAS based on integrating numerical SDS prediction and observing systems, and on establishing effective cooperation between data producers and user communities in order to provide SDS-WAS products capable of contributing to the reduction of risks from SDS. The specific objectives were: to identify, present and suggest future real-time observations for forecast verification and dust surveillance: satellite, ground-based remote sensing (passive and active) and in-situ monitoring; to present ongoing forecasting activities; to discuss and identify user needs: health, air quality, air transport operations, ocean, and others; to identify and discuss dust research issues relevant for operational forecast applications; to present the concept of SDS-WAS and Regional Centers...

Description / Table of Contents: Exciting developments in earthquake science have benefited from new observations, improved computational technologies, and improved modeling capabilities. Designing realistic supercomputer simulation models for the complete earthquake generation process is a grand scientific challenge due to the complexity of phenomena and range of scales involved from microscopic to global. The book is divided into two parts: The present volume - Part I - focuses on microscopic simulation, scaling physics, dynamic rapture and wave propagation, earthquake generation, cycle and seismic pattern. Topics covered range from numerical developments, rupture and gouge studies of the particle model, Liquefied Cracks and Rayleigh Wave Physics, studies of catastrophic failure and critical sensitivity, numerical and theoretical studies of crack propagation, developments in finite difference methods for modeling faults, long time scale simulation of interacting fault systems, modeling of crustal deformation, through to mantle convection.

Description / Table of Contents: Exciting developments in earthquake science have benefited from new observations, improved computational technologies, and improved modeling capabilities. Designing realistic supercomputer simulation models for the complete earthquake generation process is a grand scientific challenge due to the complexity of phenomena and range of scales involved from microscopic to global. The present volume - Part II - incorporates computational environment and algorithms, data assimilation and understanding, model applications and iSERVO. Topics covered range from iSERVO and QuakeSim: implementing the international solid earth research virtual observatory by integrating computational grid and geographical information web services; LURR (Load-Unload Response Ratio) described in six papers involving this promising earthquake forecasting model; pattern informatics and phase dynamics and their applications, which was also a highlight in the Workshop; computational algorithms, including continuum damage models and visualization and analysis of geophysical datasets; evolution of mantle material; the state vector approach; and assimilation of data such as geodetic data, GPS data, and seismicity and laboratory experimental data.

Description / Table of Contents: There is much interest in gas hydrates in relation to their potential role as an important driver for climate change and as a major new energy source; however, many questions remain, not least the size of the global hydrate budget. Much of the current uncertainty centres on how hydrates are physically stored in sediments at a range of scales. This volume details advances in our understanding of sediment-hosted hydrates, and contains papers covering a range of studies of real and artificial sediments containing both methane hydrates and CO2 hydrates. The papers include an examination of the techniques used to locate, sample and characterize hydrates from natural, methane-rich systems, so as to understand them better. Other contributions consider the nature and stability of synthetic hydrates formed in the laboratory, which in turn improve our ability to make accurate predictive models.