Skip to main content

Books in Earth and planetary sciences

Elsevier's Earth and Planetary Sciences collection brings together pioneering research on the complexities of our planet and beyond. Covering topics from Earth's structural dynamics and ecosystems to planetary exploration, these titles support advancements in geoscience, environmental science, and space studies, offering essential insights for researchers, professionals, and students.

  • High-Arctic Ecosystem Dynamics in a Changing Climate

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 40
    • English
    High-Arctic Ecosystem Dynamics in a Changing Climate is based on data collected during the past 10 years by Zackenberg Ecological Research Operations (ZERO) at Zackenberg Research Station in Northeast Greenland. This volume covers the function of Arctic ecosystems based on the most comprehensive long-term data set in the world from a well-defined Arctic ecosystem. Editors offer a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of how climate variability is influencing an Arctic ecosystem and how the Arctic ecosystems have inherent feedback mechanisms interacting with climate variability or change.
  • Gas Well Deliquification

    • 2nd Edition
    • James F. Lea Jr. + 1 more
    • English
    Liquid loading can reduce production and shorten the lifecycle of a well costing a company millions in revenue. A handy guide on the latest techniques, equipment, and chemicals used in de-watering gas wells, Gas Well Deliquification, 2nd Edition continues to be the engineer’s choice for recognizing and minimizing the effects of liquid loading. The 2nd Edition serves as a guide discussing the most frequently used methods and tools used to diagnose liquid loading problems and reduce the detrimental effects of liquid loading on gas production. With new extensive chapters on Coal Bed Methane and Production this is the essential reference for operating engineers, reservoir engineers, consulting engineers and service companies who supply gas well equipment. It provides managers with a comprehensive look into the methods of successful Production Automation as well as tools for the profitable use, production and supervision of coal bed gases.
  • The Jehol Fossils

    The Emergence of Feathered Dinosaurs, Beaked Birds and Flowering Plants
    • 1st Edition
    • Mee-Mann Chang + 3 more
    • English
    No other single volume reference to the Jehol site and its fossils exists and nowhere is there such a collection of fine photos of the fossils concerned. This book has pieced together the most up-to-date information on the Jehol Biota, a place that has shown the world some of the most astonishing fossil finds including the first complete skeleton of Archaeopteryx in 1861, four-winged dinosaurs- many feathered ones, the first beaked bird, the first plants with flowers and fruits, and thousands of species of invertebrates. Authors shed new light on a number of interesting theoretical issues in evolutionary biology today, such as the origin and early evolution of some major taxonomic groups. The first two chapters give an inviting introduction to the Jehol Biota in terms of its history of study, its main components, its scientific importance, its geographical, geological and biostratigraphic framework, and its renowned fossil discoveries. Each of the remaining chapters deals with a particular organismal group of the Biota written by leading experts. The book is lavishly illustrated with nearly 280 illustrations, which include 200 photographs that show the diversity of the taxa and beauty of their preservation. The colored life restorations, elegantly done by some of China's most celebrated scientific illustrators, give a kiss of life to the dead bones. Although targeted primarily at an educated public, the book is also an invaluable source of information for students and professionals in paleontology, geology, evolutionary biology and science education in general.
  • The Petroleum Engineering Handbook: Sustainable Operations

    • 1st Edition
    • M.R. Islam + 1 more
    • English
    This is the first book in the petroleum sector to shed light on the real obstacles to sustainable development and provides solutions to each problem encountered. Each solution is complete with an economic analysis that clarifies why petroleum operations can continue with even greater profit than before while ensuring that the negative environmental impact is diminished. The new screening tools and models proposed in this book will provide one with proper guidelines to achieve true sustainability in both technology development and management of the petroleum sector.
  • Belt Conveying of Minerals

    • 1st Edition
    • E D Yardley + 1 more
    • English
    Belt Conveying of Minerals is a comprehensive reference on the science and technology of belt conveyors, aimed at providing mine and quarry operators, as well as engineering students, with a balanced view of the technical issues associated with belt conveyors and to assist in the decision-making process when installing belt conveyor systems.A discussion of the history and economics of conveyor applications sets the scene. Conveyor design is investigated in detail, covering power requirements, belt tensioning, and hardware. Principles regarding construction and joining of belts are outlined and a helpful and practical overview of relevant standards, belt test methods, and issues surrounding standardisation is given. Conveyor belt systems can represent a significant operational hazard, so the authors have set out to highlight the important area of safety, with consideration given to fire/electrical resistance, as well as the interface between personnel and conveyor systems – including nip points and operational issues such as man-riding. Selected case studies illustrate some practical aspects of installation and operation.
  • An Introduction to the Dynamics of El Nino and the Southern Oscillation

    • 1st Edition
    • Allan J. Clarke
    • English
    Many scientists either working on the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) problem or its many applications have not been trained in both the equatorial ocean and atmospheric dynamics necessary to understand it. This book seeks to overcome this difficulty by providing a step by step introduction to ENSO, helping the upper level graduate student or research scientist to learn quickly the ENSO basics and be up to date with the latest ENSO research. The text assumes that the reader has a knowledge of the equations of fluid mechanics on a rotating earth and emphasizes the observations and simple physical explanations of them. Following a history of ENSO and a discussion of ENSO observations in Chapters 1 and 2, Chapters 3-5 consider relevant equatorial ocean dynamics, Chapters 6 and 9 relevant atmospheric dynamics, and Chapters 7 and 8 the main paradigms for how the Pacific Ocean and atmosphere couple together to produce ENSO. Chapter 8 also discusses the old mystery of why ENSO tends to be locked in phase with the seasonal cycle. Successful dynamical and statistical approaches to ENSO prediction are discussed in Chapters 10 and 11 while Chapter 12 concludes the book with examples of how ENSO influences marine and bird life.
  • Petroleum Related Rock Mechanics

    • 2nd Edition
    • Volume 53
    • Erling Fjær + 3 more
    • English
    Engineers and geologists in the petroleum industry will find Petroleum Related Rock Mechanics, 2e, a powerful resource in providing a basis of rock mechanical knowledge - a knowledge which can greatly assist in the understanding of field behavior, design of test programs and the design of field operations. Not only does this text give an introduction to applications of rock mechanics within the petroleum industry, it has a strong focus on basics, drilling, production and reservoir engineering. Assessment of rock mechanical parameters is covered in depth, as is acoustic wave propagation in rocks, with possible link to 4D seismics as well as log interpretation.
  • Adsorption of Metals by Geomedia II

    Variables, Mechanisms, and Model Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 7
    • Mark Barnett + 1 more
    • English
    Adsorption of Metals by Geomedia II serves as a needed resource for this topic which has received much attention during the past 25 years. The book provides an in-depth review of the field, followed by numerous chapters that document the current status of adsorption research for a variety of metals by geomedia ranging from individual minerals to sediments and soils. Adsorption mechanisms are detailed and precipitation is presented as a distinct sorption process. Virtually all factors affecting the extent of metal adsorption are examined, including the effects of selected anions, competition among metals, pH, metal concentration, loading, variable metal adsorption capacity, ionic strength, hydrogen exchange and stoichiometry, and solids concentration. A variety of adsorption models are briefly presented and some are used to extend laboratory studies to field sites. This is a compilation of 25 peer reviewed papers from among the 60+ platform and poster presentations of the symposium "Adsorption of Metals to Geomedia II" at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting, March 27-29, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This symposium is a follow-up to the original held in 1996.
  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.
  • The Indian Ocean Nodule Field

    Geology and Resource Potential
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 10
    • Ranadhir Mukhopadhyay + 2 more
    • English
    The book includes a synthesis of research findings on the structure and evolution of the Central Indian Ocean Basin and its ferromanganese deposits, in particular, on the exploration campaign since 1980s. A comprehensive mixture of recent studies along with classical theories starting from the 1960s is the hallmark of the book. Recent concepts and hypotheses, and also critical appreciation of the state-of-the-art knowledge on nodule formation and resource management are incorporated. After limiting the geographical extension of the nodule field and describing its physiographic, geological, biological, physical and chemical characteristics in chapter 1, the various structural, tectonic and volcanic elements are described in chapters 2 and 3. The bottom sediment characteristics that floor the nodules and crusts are dealt with in chapter 4. The nodules and crusts are described in detail in chapter 5, and their process of formation in the light of variable source material, local and regional tectonic activities, and midplate secondary volcanisms are discussed. The mining, environment, metallurgy, legal and economic aspects of the nodule resources are discussed in chapter 6. This title fulfils the growing need to bring voluminous, but scattered information in the form of a book for easy dissemination to students and researchers.