Advances In Earth And Environmental Sciences

Containing the proceedings of the International Conference on Earth Science and Environmental Protection (ICESEP 2013), held in Kunming, China, the book brings together the work of academic scientists, leading engineers, industry researchers and scholarly students. The included papers cover research results from all aspects of Earth and Environmental Science and discuss the practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted. Topics covered include Earth Resources; Agriculture; Environmental Science; Environmental Protection; Green Energy.

Computers in Earth and Environmental Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies in Hazards and Risk Management addresses the need for a comprehensive book that focuses on multi-hazard assessments, natural and manmade hazards, and risk management using new methods and technologies that employ GIS, artificial intelligence, spatial modeling, machine learning tools and meta-heuristic techniques. The book is clearly organized into four parts that cover natural hazards, environmental hazards, advanced tools and technologies in risk management, and future challenges in computer applications to hazards and risk management. Researchers and professionals in Earth and Environmental Science who require the latest technologies and advances in hazards, remote sensing, geosciences, spatial modeling and machine learning will find this book to be an invaluable source of information on the latest tools and technologies available. Covers advanced tools and technologies in risk management of hazards in both the Earth and Environmental Sciences Details the benefits and applications of various technologies to assist researchers in choosing the most appropriate techniques for purpose Expansively covers specific future challenges in the use of computers in Earth and Environmental Science Includes case studies that detail the applications of the discussed technologies down to individual hazards

Advances in Earth Science outlines the latest developments and new research directions currently being made world-wide in the earth sciences. It contains invited and refereed articles by leading younger researchers on their cutting-edge research, but aimed at a general scientific audience. This exciting volume explains how powerful methodologies such as satellite remote sensing and supercomputing simulations are now profoundly changing research in the earth sciences; how the earth system is increasingly being viewed in a holistic way, linking the atmosphere, ocean and solid earth; and how the societal impact of the research in the earth sciences has never been more important. Published by Imperial College Press in collaboration with the Royal Society of London, the book features many articles originating from invited papers published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Eleven of the distinguished contributors hold prestigious Royal Society Research Fellowships. Contents:Environmental Change:The Price of Climate Change (D S Reay)Carbon in the Atmosphere and Terrestrial Biosphere in the Early Anthropocene (Y Malhi)Dust in the Earth System: The Biogeochemical Linking of Land, Air, and Sea (A Ridgwell & K E Kohfeld)The Late Permian Mass Extinction Event and Recovery: Biological Catastrophe in a Greenhouse World (R J Twitchett)Dynamics of the Earth:Space-Plasma Imaging — Past, Present and Future (C N Mitchell)Fault Structure, Stress, Friction and Rupture Dynamics of Earthquakes (E Fukuyama)Some Remarks on the Time Scales of Magmatic Processes Occuring Beneath Island Arc Volcanoes (S P Turner)The Break-Up of Continents and the Generation of Ocean Basins (T A Minshull)Properties and Evolution of the Earth's Core and Geodynamo (F Nimmo & D Alfè)Applied Earth Science:Giant Catastrophic Landslides (C R J Kilburn)Remote Monitoring of the Earthquake Cycle Using Satellite Radar Interferometry (T J Wright)Human Influence on the Global Geochemical Cycle of Lead (D J Weiss et al.)Natural and Artificial Platinum and Palladium Occurrences World-Wide (H M Prichard)Data Assimilation and Objectively Optimised Earth Observation (D J Lary & A Koratkar) Readership: General scientific readers interested in the new research directions in the earth sciences; researchers and students in the earth and environmental sciences, geophysics, environmental chemistry, biology and evolution. Keywords:Climate Change;Environmental Change;Earth Dynamics

Scientists have long sought to unravel the fundamental mysteries of the land, life, water, and air that surround us. But as the consequences of humanity's impact on the planet become increasingly evident, governments are realizing the critical importance of understanding these environmental systemsâ€"and investing billions of dollars in research to do so. To identify high-priority environmental science projects, Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences explores the most important areas of research for the next generation. The book's goal is not to list the world's biggest environmental problems. Rather it is to determine areas of opportunity thatâ€"with a concerted investmentâ€"could yield significant new findings. Nominations for environmental science's "grand" challenges were solicited from thousands of scientists worldwide. Based on their responses, eight major areas of focus were identifiedâ€"areas that offer the potential for a major scientific breakthrough of practical importance to humankind, and that are feasible if given major new funding. The book further pinpoints four areas for immediate action and investment.

Global Change studies are increasingly being considered a vital source of information to understand the Earth Environment, in particular in the framework of human-induced climate change and land use transformation. Satellite Earth Observing systems provide a unique tool to monitor those changes. While the range of applications and innovative techniques is constantly increasing, this book provides a summary of key case studies where satellite data offer critical information to understand the causes and effects of those environmental changes, minimizing their negative impacts. This book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the field of remote sensing, geographical information, meteorology and environmental sciences. Also scientists and graduate up to post-graduate level students in environmental science will find valuable information in this book.

An accessible introduction to the mathematical methods essential for understanding processes in the Earth and environmental sciences.

This volume presents a selection of contributions from international environmental scholars and water researchers. The book includes significant topics on earth and environmental sciences such as water resources and water quality, soil quality and sediment contamination, air pollution and climate change, and issues related to clean production. The themes were chosen according to the current global issues covering major aspects of their respective fields. The aim of the book was to discover advances, experiences and innovative ideas on issues related to earth and environmental sciences, to share experiences and research findings, discuss challenges encountered and solutions in order to have opportunities to establish productive new academic and industry research collaborations.

Environmental science integrates physical and biological sciences to the study of the environment, with the goal of solving today’s environmental challenges. Many of these challenges tie into a greater concept of using the earth’s resources sustainably. This collection brings together some very important advances in environmental science, including how climate change affects plant disease, how to keep birds and bats away from wind turbines, disinfecting polluted water for drinking, how climate policy impacts natural habitats, cancer risk due to ecological issues, and much more.