Achievements History And Challenges In Geophysics

Over the last six decades, the field of geophysics has experienced rapid development. Seismic methods, magnetic studies, hydrology and atmospheric sciences have expanded thanks to a boom in the computer sciences and measurement techniques. The frontiers of geophysics have also expanded, now including research on the polar areas, both Arctic and Antarctic. All these events are clearly reflected in the 60-year-long history of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. This volume describes the most prominent achievements, the history of research and also the future potential of the Institute of Geophysics PAS. It describes measurements in various projects, methods of interpreting scientific data, and last but not least the people who have driven this research in many scientific projects.

Anyone who has experienced turbulence in flight knows that it is usually not pleasant, and may wonder why this is so difficult to avoid. The book includes papers by various aviation turbulence researchers and provides background into the nature and causes of atmospheric turbulence that affect aircraft motion, and contains surveys of the latest techniques for remote and in situ sensing and forecasting of the turbulence phenomenon. It provides updates on the state-of-the-art research since earlier studies in the 1960s on clear-air turbulence, explains recent new understanding into turbulence generation by thunderstorms, and summarizes future challenges in turbulence prediction and avoidance.

The work in your hand contains three main chapters, covering the chemistry of the condensed phase in the atmosphere, first, the different forms of atmospheric waters (precipitation, fog and clouds, dew), and secondly dust, now mostly termed particulate matter and, more scientifically, atmospheric aerosol. A third section treats the gases in the atmosphere. An introductory chapter covers the roots of the term atmospheric chemistry in its relations to chemistry in general and biogeochemistry as the chemistry of the climate system. Furthermore, a brief overview of understanding chemical reactions in aqueous and gaseous phase is given. It is my aim to pay respect to all persons who studied the substances in the air, to those who made small, and to them who made giant contributions for the progress in atmospheric science. I’m not a historian who is able to present the past from a true perspective of their time – this also would not be my aim. If possible, however, I try to interpret the past – almost limited to experimental fi ndings in the nineteenth century – through current values, without dismissal of the problems and ideas of earlier scientists. In this way it is possible to draw some ideas on the historical chemical state of the air. Hence, I name this voyage critical. However, nowhere in this book it is my attention to express my criticism to colleagues and scientifi c ancestors. Great scientists too were subject to errors; doing science consists from the permanent loop observation, interpretation, conclusion, and again testing against new observation. If this volume can contribute more than to be “a nice story” on atmospheric chemistry, then hopefully it inspires the reader to more critical reading of scientifi c publications, and, not to forget the older one.

Managing Urban Rivers: From Planning to Practice captures the different facets of river management required for integrating rivers within the development landscape of cities in a sustainable manner. Sections cover the entire spectrum of urban river management, from planning to actual on-the-ground implementation, providing a one-stop destination for knowledge on urban river management. Edited by a team of four experts with practical experience in this domain, the different chapters of the book are authored by eminent scholars and practitioners with expertise in specific areas of urban river management. Urban rivers and their management is a hot topic as governments across the world are focusing on this aspect, especially since it has direct implications for SDG target 6.6, which aims to “protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes . Presents practical, global case studies in almost every chapter Provides recommendations for best practices, based on lessons from different successful case studies, as well as the expert insights of the authors Features contributions from global experts for a unique and specialized approach to the topic of urban rivers

Climate and anthropogenic changes impact the conditions of erosion and sediment transport in rivers. Rainfall variability and, in many places, the increase of rainfall intensity have a direct impact on rainfall erosivity. Increasing changes in demography have led to the acceleration of land cover changes in natural areas, as well as in cultivated areas, and, sometimes, in degraded areas and desertified landscapes. These anthropogenized landscapes are more sensitive to erosion. On the other hand, the increase in the number of dams in watersheds traps a great portion of sediment fluxes, which do not reach the sea in the same amount, nor at the same quality, with consequences on coastal geomorphodynamics. This book is dedicated to studies on sediment fluxes from continental areas to coastal areas, as well as observation, modeling, and impact analysis at different scales from watershed slopes to the outputs of large river basins. This book is concentrated on a number of keywords: “erosion” and “sediment transport”, “model” and “practice”, and “change”. The keywords are briefly discussed with respect to the relevant literature. The contributions in this book address observations and models based on laboratory and field data, allowing researchers to make use of such resources in practice under changing conditions.

This book is the first literature collection focused on the development and implementation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and their integration with sensors for atmospheric measurements on Earth. The research covered in the book combines chemical, physical, and meteorological measurements performed in field campaigns, as well as conceptual and laboratory work. Useful examples for the development of platforms and autonomous systems for environmental studies are provided, which demonstrate how careful the operation of sensors aboard UAS must be to gather information for remote sensing in the atmosphere. The work serves as a key collection of articles to introduce the topic to new researchers interested in the field, guide future studies, and motivate measurements to improve our understanding of the Earth’s complex atmosphere.