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Elsevier

Books in Physical sciences and engineering

  • Rock Dynamics and Geophysical Exploration

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 8
    • L.N. Persen
    • English
    Rock Dynamics and Geophysical Exploration: Introduction to Stress Waves in Rocks deals with a theoretical tool for predicting stress waves in rocks. The book considers both elastic and Kelvin type materials, and also explains some experiments of stress waves in rocks. The book reviews concepts in the analysis of stresses and deformations, the fundamental equations used to examine the propagation of stress waves in certain types of solids, and the characteristics features of plane waves in elastic mediums. The text explains wave propagation in rocks due to a detonating charge (resulting in stress waves with a spherical symmetry), the response of a cylinder to an outside excitation (resulting in a cylindrical wave), or a harmonically oscillating stress from an outside excitation (resulting in a harmonic input pulse). The text explains Kelvin materials as a generalization of the behavior of the material where a damping effect is incorporated with the elastic medium being studied. The book also compares experimental results of the application of stress waves in rocks with theory, and explains the sensitivity criteria for tunnels. The text cites as an example, the significance of the interaction between tunnels and shock waves before any tunnel expansion can be made by engineers. The book will prove valuable for geologists or for structural, civil, and mining engineers.

  • The State of the Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • Essam El-Hinnawi + 1 more
    • English
    The State of the Environment is the annual report of the United Nations that contains the current state of the environment and the biosphere as well as certain important environmental issues. The monograph also discusses social and economic issues and their implication to the environment. The book covers environmental concerns - air and atmospheric issues such as indoor air pollution, changes in atmospheric ozone, and the effects of carbon dioxide and other trace gases in the atmosphere; issues related to land and water such as land and soil loss, water quality, and food production; and power-related issues such as energy production and consumption, nuclear power, and energy conservation. Also included are other issues such as chemical wastes and other harmful substances, diseases such as malaria and cancer, and the effects of population on the environment. The text is recommended for environmentalists and scientists who would like to know more about the issues related to the environment.

  • Civil Engineering for Underground Rail Transport

    • 1st Edition
    • J. T. Edwards
    • English
    Civil Engineering for Underground Rail Transport focuses on civil engineering techniques in underground rail construction. The book first discusses the need for underground rail transport, including justification of underground systems and the techniques of civil engineering in underground construction. The text looks at civil engineering aspects of route planning. Curvature and gradients, drainage, ventilation, working sites, rolling stock depots, and construction materials are discussed. The book also discusses civil engineering aspects of station location and design, ground treatment, and tracks for underground railways. The text then examines cut and cover design and construction in reinforced concrete. Form and layout, construction methods, soil/structure interaction, reinforced concrete design, and design development are described. The compilation also looks at the construction of concrete piling and diaphragm walls, hand-dug caissons or wells, large reinforced concrete caissons, and immersed-tube and precast concrete tunnels. Tunneling machines and types of tunnels are also described. The book is a good source of information for readers interested in civil engineering.

  • Principles of Zoological Micropalaeontology

    International Series of Monographs on Earth Sciences, Vol. 1
    • 1st Edition
    • Vladimir Pokorný
    • John W. Neale
    • English
    Earth Sciences, Volume X: Principles of Zoological Micropalaeontology highlights the morphological, phylogenetic and ecological analysis of microfossils. This book is composed of 10 chapters that survey the most important microfossil taxa, their variety of form, evolution, relationships, and distribution. The opening chapter provides an introduction to the historical development of micropalaeontology. The succeeding chapters present the procedures for the collection, preparation, and microstratigraphic analysis of microfossils. The remaining chapters discuss the morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic properties of Radiolaria, Thekamoebae, Foraminifera, Tintinnina, Incertae sedis, Chitinozoa, and Hystrichosphere microfossils. This book is intended as a textbook and as a manual for practicing micropalaeontologist...

  • The State of the Planet

    A Report Prepared for the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study (IFIAS), Stockholm
    • 1st Edition
    • Alexander King
    • English
    The State of the Planet provides an understanding of the problems that beset contemporary society. This book provides a series of significant studies on world problems, their complexity, and interaction. Organized into 11 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the problems of rapid population increase and the disparity between the rich and the poor countries of the world. This text then examines the major trends of society in various aspects, including rapid changes in the social, political, economic, and technological aspects. Other chapters consider the areas of interdependence between nations, between the problems they encounter in common, and between the disciplines of learning. This book discusses as well the political and social limits to man's achievements. The final chapter deals with the primary need to spread and deepen understanding of the difficulties and potential dangers within the world system. This book is a valuable resource for politicians, policy makers, and public servants.

  • Atmospheric Electricity

    • 1st Edition
    • J. Alan Chalmers
    • English
    Atmospheric Electricity brings together numerous studies on various aspects of atmospheric electricity. This book is composed of 13 chapters that cover the main problems in the field, including the maintenance of the negative charge on the earth and the origin of the charges in thunderstorms. After a brief overview of the historical developments of atmospheric electricity, this book goes on dealing with the general principles, results, methods, and the MKS system of the field. The succeeding chapters are devoted to some aspects of electricity in the atmosphere, such as the occurrence and detection of ions, the air-Earth conduction current, and point-discharge and precipitation currents. These topics are followed by discussions on the maintenance of the Earth's charge; the correlation of Earth's charge with thunderstorm activity and current; and mechanism of charge transfer in nonstormy rain and snow. The concluding chapters consider the phenomena of thunder cloud and the lightning discharge. These chapters also examine various theories in understanding the separation of Earth's charge. This book will be of value to physicists, atmospheric scientists, and researchers in the allied fields.

  • Semiconductor Heterojunctions

    • 1st Edition
    • B. L. Sharma + 1 more
    • B. R. Pamplin
    • English
    Semiconductor Heterojunctions investigates various aspects of semiconductor heterojunctions. Topics covered include the theory of heterojunctions and their energy band profiles, electrical and optoelectronic properties, and methods of preparation. A number of heterojunction devices are also considered, from photovoltaic converters to photodiodes, transistors, and injection lasers. Comprised of eight chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the theory of heterojunctions and a discussion on abrupt isotype and anisotype heterojunctions, along with graded heterojunctions. The reader is then introduced to the energy band profiles of isotype and anisotype heterojunctions, the practical aspects of their fabrication and characterization, and their electronic and optoelectronic properties. Some methods used in the preparation of heterojunctions are also described, including the chemical method, solution growth method, alloying method, and sputtering method. The remaining chapters focus on the characterization of the grown layers, examples of heterojunction devices, and experimental work on heterojunctions. This monograph is intended for research workers and graduate students.

  • Lead in the Marine Environment

    Proceedings of the International Experts Discussion on Lead Occurrence, Fate and Pollution in the Marine Environment, Rovinj, Yugoslavia, 18-22 October 1977
    • 1st Edition
    • Marko Branica + 1 more
    • English
    Lead in the Marine Environment covers the proceedings of the International Experts Discussion on Lead Occurrence, Fate, and Pollution in the Marine Environment, held in Rovinj, Yugoslavia on October 18-22, 1977. The book focuses on the release of lead to the environment, including the techniques, processes, and technologies involved in the analysis of lead in marine ecosystems. The selection first highlights the impact of human on coastal marine ecosystems; analysis of natural and industrial lead in marine ecosystems; and the occurrence of lead in Northeast Pacific and the effects of anthropogenic inputs. The book also looks at the voltammetric determination of the stability constants of the predominant labile lead complexes in sea water, as well as investigations on the nature of the effective carbonato ligand and experimental verification of a chemical model for trace metal speciation in sea water. The publication reviews studies of lead in water and biological materials using X-ray emission spectroscopy; theoretical studies of the chemical speciation of lead in sea water; and input of lead into the Mediterranean through rivers. The text also explains the chelation of lead by organic ligands in sea water and potentialities and limitations of atomic absorption spectroscopy in environmental and biological materials with reference to lead determinations. Concerns include aspects of chelation of heavy metal traces in sea water and typical lead values and analytical data for biological and environmental materials. The selection is a vital source of data for readers interested in studying the effects of lead on the environment.

  • Chronic Radiation Hazards

    An Experimental Study with Fast Neutrons
    • 1st Edition
    • G.J. Neary + 2 more
    • English
    Chronic Radiation Hazards: An Experimental Study with Fast Neutrons describes a large-scale experiment on the hazards to be expected from low and very low levels of chronic irradiation by fast neutrons. Fast neutrons may be an environmental hazard around nuclear reactors and some machines for accelerating particles, and it is therefore of practical as well as academic importance to get some idea of the likely ill-effects of chronic irradiation by fast neutrons. The book is organized into four parts. Part I describes the experimental design, including factors such choice of animal, choice of dose rate, observation of radiation effects, dose measurements, and energy of the neutrons. Part II deals with the measurement of fast neutron dose. Topics discussed include Interaction of neutrons with light elements; energy absorption due to fast neutrons; energy absorption due to gamma rays; and ionization-dose and ionization-flux relations for fast neutrons. Part III discusses the results of fast neutron irradiation while Part IV covers the relative biological efficiency of fast neutrons and gamma rays for chronic exposures.

  • Measurement of Airborne Pollutants

    • 1st Edition
    • Suzanne Couling
    • English
    Measurement of Airborne Pollutants stresses the importance of developing air pollution measurements that is central to progress in the formulation of environmental policy, efficient regulation of emissions, and satisfactory control of processes which emit pollutants into the atmosphere. This book is divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with the operational evaluations of emerging techniques for ambient measurements of airborne particles and for low levels of nitrogen dioxide. The calibration techniques for automatic analyses or for gas cylinders obtained from commercial suppliers and fundamental issues in the measurement of acid deposition are also deliberated. The assessment of air pollution sources that includes analyzing dioxins and furans at sub-nanogram levels and particle or dust source assessments through dust deposit and particle flux gauges are described in Part 2. This publication is valuable to environmental scientists and researchers concerned with air pollution measurements.

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