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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.

  • Continental Rifts: Evolution, Structure, Tectonics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 25
    • K.H. Olsen
    • English
    This multi-author book has been prepared by an international group of geoscientists that have been active in rift research since the late 1960s. In 1984, an informal, grass-roots study group was initiated to compare individual research results and to explore in greater depth the apparent differences and similarities in the interpretations from various rift systems. The group became known as the CREST working group, an acronym of Continental Rifts: Evolution, Structure and Tectonics, which not surprisingly became the title of this book.Continental Rifts: Evolution, Structure, Tectonics presents an overview of the present state of understanding and knowledge of the processes of continental rifting from a multidisciplinary, lithospheric scale perspective. The chapters have been structured on each rift system in approximately the same synoptic sequence, so as to facilitate comparisons of rifts by the reader. The book complements its predecessors by presenting a more unified picture. It succeeds in presenting the status of a representative majority of the continental rift systems that have been at the forefront of recent research. For students and experienced researchers alike, this book will be of significant value in assessing the current state of knowledge and in serving as a framework for future research.
  • Computing Risk for Oil Prospects: Principles and Programs

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 14
    • J.W. Harbaugh + 2 more
    • English
    The petroleum industry is enduring difficult financial times because of the continuing depressed price of crude oil on the world market. This has caused major corporate restructuring and reductions in staff throughout the industry. Because oil exploration must now be done with fewer people under more difficult economic constraints, it is essential that the most effective and efficient procedures be used. Computing Risk for Oil Prospects describes how prospect risk assessment — predicting the distribution of financial gains or losses that may result from the drilling of an exploration well — can be done using objective procedures implemented on personal computers. The procedures include analyses of historical data, interpretation of geological and geophysical data, and financial calculations to yield a spectrum of the possible consequences of decisions. All aspects of petroleum risk assessment are covered, from evaluating regional resources, through delineating an individual prospect, to calculation of the financial consequences of alternative decisions and their possible results. The bottom lines are given both in terms of the probable volumes of oil that may be discovered and the expected monetary returns. Statistical procedures are linked with computer mapping and interpretation algorithms, which feed their results directly into routines for financial analysis. The programs in the included library of computer programs are tailored to fit seamlessly together, and are designed for ease and simplicity of operation. The two diskettes supplied are IBM compatible. Full information on loading is given in Appendix A - Software Installation. Risk I diskette contains data files and executables and Risk 2 diskette contains only executables. The authors contend that the explorationist who develops a prospect should be involved in every facet of its analysis, including risk and financial assessments. This book provides the tools necessary for these tasks.
  • Future Climates of the World

    • 1st Edition
    • Ann Henderson-Sellers
    • English
    Future Climates of the World: A Modelling Perspective is Volume 16 of the highly prestigious series of climatology reference books World Survey of Climatology. The present volume offers a state-of-the-art overview of our understanding of future climates and is aimed at climatology undergraduates, interested non-climatologists with a scientific background as well as the generally interested reader. Each topic is discussed clearly so that the full implications of its affect on the earth's future climate can be fully understood. The study of climate has moved from data collection ``climatology'' to the model and experimentally based predictions of ``climatic science''. Our understanding of climatic prediction depends crucially upon improvements in, and improved understanding of, climatic models.The book compises four main themes which follow an introductory chapter i.e. the geologic perspective (I) and present-day observations (II) as they pertain to future climates; human factors affecting future climates (III) and planetary geophysiology and future climates (IV).
  • Analytic Element Modeling of Groundwater Flow

    • 1st Edition
    • H. M. Haitjema
    • English
    Modeling has become an essential tool for the groundwater hydrologist. Where field data is limited, the analytic element method (AEM) is rapidly becoming the modeling method of choice, especially given the availability of affordable modeling software. Analytic Element Modeling of Groundwater Flow provides all the basics necessary to approach AEM successfully, including a presentation of fundamental concepts and a thorough introduction to Dupuit-Forchheimerfl... This book is unique in its emphasis on the actual use of analytic element models. Real-world examples complement material presented in the text.An educational version of the analytic element program GFLOW is included to allow the reader to reproduce the various solutions to groundwater flow problems discussed in the text. Researchers and graduate students in groundwater hydrology, geology, andengineering will find this book an indispensable resource.
  • Satellite Meteorology

    An Introduction
    • 1st Edition
    • Stanley Q. Kidder + 1 more
    • English
    At last, a book that has what every atmospheric science and meteorology student should know about satellite meteorology: the orbits of satellites, the instruments they carry, the radiation they detect, and, most importantly, the fundamental atmospheric data that can be retrieved from their observations.
  • Casing Design - Theory and Practice

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 42
    • S.S. Rahman + 1 more
    • English
    Casing design has followed an evolutionary trend and most improvements have been made due to the advancement of technology. Contributions to the technology in casing design have come from fundamental research and field tests, which have made casing safe and economical. This book gathers together much available information in the subject area and shows how it may be used in deciding the best procedure for casing design i.e. optimizing casing design for deriving maximum profit from a particular well. The problems and their solutions, which are provided in each chapter, and the computer program (3.5 in. disk) are intended to serve two purposes:- firstly, as illustrations for students and practicing engineers to understand the subject matter, and secondly, to enable them to optimize casing design for a wide range of wells to be drilled in the future.
  • Introduction to Groundwater Modeling

    Finite Difference and Finite Element Methods
    • 1st Edition
    • Herbert F. Wang + 1 more
    • English
    The dramatic advances in the efficiency of digital computers during the past decade have provided hydrologists with a powerful tool for numerical modeling of groundwater systems. Introduction to Groundwater Modeling presents a broad, comprehensive overview of the fundamental concepts and applications of computerized groundwater modeling. The book covers both finite difference and finite element methods and includes practical sample programs that demonstrate theoretical points described in the text. Each chapter is followed by problems, notes, and references to additional information. This volume will be indispensable to students in introductory groundwater modeling courses as well as to groundwater professionals wishing to gain a complete introduction to this vital subject.
  • Global Optimization Methods in Geophysical Inversion

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 4
    • M.K. Sen + 1 more
    • English
    One of the major goals of geophysical inversion is to find earth models that explain the geophysical observations. Thus the branch of mathematics known as optimization has found significant use in many geophysical applications.Both local and global optimization methods are used in the estimation of material properties from geophysical data. As the title of the book suggests, the aim of this book is to describe the application of several recently developed global optimization methods to geophysical problems. • The well known linear and gradient based optimization methods have been summarized in order to explain their advantages and limitations• The theory of simulated annealing and genetic algorithms have been described in sufficient detail for the readers to understand the underlying fundamental principles upon which these algorithms are based• The algorithms have been described using simple flow charts (the algorithms are general and can be applied to a wide variety of problemsStudents, researchers and practitioners will be able to design practical algorithms to solve their specific geophysical inversion problems. The book is virtually self-contained so that there are no prerequisites, except for a fundamental mathematical background that includes a basic understanding of linear algebra and calculus.
  • Water Relations of Plants and Soils

    • 1st Edition
    • Paul J. Kramer + 1 more
    • English
    Water Relations of Plants and Soils, successor to the seminal 1983 book by Paul Kramer, covers the entire field of water relations using current concepts and consistent terminology. Emphasis is on the interdependence of processes, including rate of water absorption, rate of transpiration, resistance to water flow into roots, soil factors affecting water availability. New trends in the field, such as the consideration of roots (rather than leaves) as the primary sensors of water stress, are examined in detail.
  • Sequence Stratigraphy on the Northwest European Margin

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • R.J. Steel + 3 more
    • English
    Sequence Stratigraphy, presently one of the most rapidly growing areas in geology, is concerned with the documentation and prediction of how sandstones (potential hydrocarbon reservoirs) and shales (potential source rocks) are distributed in time and space within sedimentary basins. The book takes a critical look at some of the sequence stratigraphy concepts, and provides an account of how these have been applied recently in NW Europe (North Sea, mid Norway and E. Greenland, Barents Sea and Svalbard), mainly in connection with the exploration for oil and gas.There is currently no similar book available.