Download or read book Aeolian Sand and Sand Dunes written by and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-11-14 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is more than half a century since the publication of R. A. Bagnold’s classic book The physics of blown sand and desert dunes, and it is a tribute to the quality of Bagnold’s work that many of the fundamental principles which he developed - main valid today. His book continues to be essential reading for any serious s- dent of aeolian processes. However, the past two decades have seen an explosion in the scale of research dealing with aeolian transport processes, sediments, and landforms. Some of this work has been summarized in review papers and edited conference proceedings, but this book provides the rst attempt to review the whole eld of aeolian sand research. Inevitably, it has not been possible to cover all - pects in equal depth, and the balance of included material naturally re ects the - thors’ own interests to a signi cant degree. However, our aim has been to provide as broad a perspective as possible, and to provide an entry point to an extensive mul- disciplinary scienti c literature, some of which has not been given the attention it deserves in earlier textbooks and review papers. Many examples are drawn from existing published work, but the book also makes extensive use of our own research in the Middle East, Australia, Europe, and North America. The book has been written principally for use by advanced undergraduates, po- graduates, and more senior research workers in geomorphology and sedimentology.

Download or read book Coastal Dunes written by M. L. Martínez and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-09-14 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, coastal dune specialists from tropical and temperate latitudes cover a wide set of topics, including: geomorphology, community dynamics, ecophysiology, biotic interactions and environmental problems and conservation. The book offers recommendations for future research, identifying relevant topics where detailed knowledge is still lacking. It also identifies management tools that will promote and maintain the rich diversity of the dune environments in the context of continuing coastal development.

Download or read book Geomorphological Fluid Mechanics written by N.J. Balmforth and published by Springer. This book was released on 2008-01-11 with total page 579 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Geomorphology deals with some of the most striking patterns of nature. From mountain ranges and mid-ocean ridges to river networks and sand dunes, there is a whole family of forms, structures, and shapes that demand rationalization as well as mathematical description. In the various chapters of this volume, many of these patterns are explored and discussed, and attempts are made to both unravel the reasons for their very existence and to describe their dynamics in quantitative terms. Particular focus is placed on lava and mud flows, ice and snow dynamics, river and coastal morphodynamics and landscape formation. Combining a pedagogical approach with up-to-date reviews of forefront research, this volume will serve both postgraduate students and lecturers in search of advanced textbook material, and experienced researchers wishing to get acquainted with the various physical and mathematical approaches in a range of closely related research fields.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms written by Henrik Hargitai and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-08-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The technique of the mapping of planetary surfaces and the methods used for the identification of various planetary landforms improved much in the last 400 years. Until the 20th century, telescopic observers could interpret planetary landforms solely based on their appearance, while today various data sets acquired by space probes can be used for a more detailed analysis on the composition and origin of the surface features. Before the Greeks, the Earth and the Heavens were indisputably of different origin and nature. It was a major philosophical breakthrough - first appeared as an a priori theory, later based on observations - that the Heavens (planetary bodies) and the Earth share common features: gravity, composition and solar distance may be different, but the nature of the physical processes shaping the landforms are essentially the same. It has been a long way since we have arrived from the first telescopic description of lunar craters to the identification of various geological formations on Mars or on minor planets. Relief features of the Moon have first been observed by Galileo Galilee, via his telescope. During the next centuries, a multitude of Lunar landforms have been identified. Theories based on observations have been connected together by a scientific paradigm which explained their origin in a logical and seemingly undisputable manner. Telescopes showed a Lunar surface full of circular landforms, called craters, a landscape with no parallel on Earth. But the individual landforms had a morphological equivalent, volcanoes, which naturally led to the conclusion that craters had been created by volcanic processes. Maria ("seas") served as natural basins for water bodies. Observations clearly showed that water and air are hardly found on the Moon, the lack of clouds indicated the lack of precipitation. But the flat surface of the maria (obviously composed of marine sediments) and the meandering valleys suggested the presence of liquid water and a higher atmospheric pressure in the past - during the age of active volcanism and degassing. There were no observable active volcanic processes but some craters (though to be volcanoes) have been observed as being active: flashes of light - interpreted as eruptions - have been reported by several observers. The presence of pyroclasts thrown out from the volcanic vents of craters provided an independent evidence: meteor showers and individual meteorites falling from the sky - originating from Lunar craters. The logical and interconnected set of explanations based on observations proved to be completely false by the second half of the 20th century. The new paradigm interpreted the very same features in a new context. The case of Mars was different. There were no telescopes capable of observing relief forms (no shadows on Mars are visible from the Earth, because Mars always shows a nearly full Mars phase), so only albedo features could be seen and used for interpretation. The lack of visible relief features were interpreted as a lack of considerable topography: an unnoticed distortion in the observational data. The hue and contrast of dark and bright, orange, grey and white spots have changed seasonally, the polar areas clearly showed a polar cap made of ice and snow, but clouds have not been observed. Since Mars is farther away from the Sun than the Earth, it was evident that temperature values are lower there. Scientists concluded that Mars is an ancient, arid world. Then contemporary geology taught the theory according to which waters on the Earth are going to infiltrate underground in time, making the surface dry - observations showed that this had already happened on Mars. The last surface reservoirs of water were the polar caps. Some observers reported seeing a global network of linear features, but other have only seen very few of such albedo markings. These features were interpreted as "canals," made by a civilization for irrigation, carrying water from the poles to all around the flat plains of Mars. What was observable from the Earth were the broad stripes of irrigated vegetation (like those along the Nile), the canals themselves were too narrow to be visible from here. All theories converged - supposing that the features seen by some, but not seen by others, were real. There was no chance for verification until spacecrafts have been developed which were able to make local observations. Instead of canals, the first pictures returned revealed a surface full of craters - a landform not expected by anyone. A paradigm shift was needed to explain the features of the "new" Mars. On the Moon, features were observable, but the interpretation was wrong. On Mars, only blurred albedo markings could be observed, along with sharp lines of imagination, which again were interpreted falsely. In the case of Venus, there was no data on surface features. Only its bright cloud top could be observed from the Earth. But this fact along with the planet's orbital parameters provided enough information for a popular view on its surface conditions: a hot world (inferred from its proximity to the Sun) and also a rainy one (from its complete cloud cover). The conclusion: Venus is a global jungle possibly with dinosaurs, like the hot and wet world of the then-discovered Mesozoic era. Our current knowledge originated from these early attempts of interpreting surface conditions and geological origin of landforms from a very little set of available data. Today we have a huge set of images and other physical data which makes it possible to create models on the inner structure and thermal history of planetary bodies. Combined data sets lead to better supported models on the formation of surface features. Today we believe that most models give reliable explanation for the origin of planetary landforms. New, higher resolution images reveal new sets of meso- and microscale landforms, while images from previously not imaged dwarf planets, satellites, asteroids and cometary nuclei show landforms never seen before. In the future exoplanets are expected to provide brand new types of relief features no predictable by our Earth-and Solar System bound imagination. There are so many different landforms on planetary surfaces that it is nearly impossible for anybody to overview all of them who does not work exactly with that certain feature type. The Encyclopedia helps with presenting the landforms in searchable, alphabetical order. The book contains more than a simple list of various features: it provides context and connections between them and point to their origin. For example sand dunes were found on Venus, Mars and Titan, fluvial valleys and shorelines are present on Mars and Titan, impact craters have many different types - all are presented and explained here. Beyond the texts, references, schematic figures, images and planetary maps accompany the description of landforms, providing a wide background for detailed analyses even for geomorphologists working in planetary science. This book is to help the reader to discover the great variety of planetary landforms.

Download or read book Granular Media written by Bruno Andreotti and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-06-13 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides the state-of-the-art of the physics of granular media for graduate students and researchers in physics, applied mathematics and engineering.

Download or read book The Geology Ecology and Human History of the San Luis Valley written by Jared Maxwell Beeton and published by University Press of Colorado. This book was released on 2020-08-24 with total page 518 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Geology, Ecology, and Human History of the San Luis Valley explores the rich landscapes and diverse social histories of the San Luis Valley, an impressive mountain valley spanning over 9,000 square miles that crosses the border of south-central Colorado and north-central New Mexico and includes many cultural traditions. Twenty-six expert scholars and educators—including geologists, geographers, biologists, ecologists, linguists, historians, sociologists, and consultants—uncover the natural and cultural history of the region, which serves as home to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the San Juan Mountains, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and the Rio Grande headwaters. The first section, “The Geology and Ecology of the San Luis Valley,” surveys the geomorphology, hydrology, animal and plant life, conservation, management, and mining of the valley’s varied terrain. The second section, “Human History of the San Luis Valley,” recounts the valley’s human visitation and settlement, from early indigenous life to Spanish exploration to Hispanic and Japanese settlements. This section introduces readers to the region’s wide range of religious identities—Catholic, Latter-day Saint, Buddhist, Jehovah’s Witness, Amish, and Mennonite—and diverse linguistic traditions, including Spanish, English, Dutch, Danish, Japanese, and Mayan. The final section, “Travel Itineraries,” addresses recreation, specifically fly-fishing and rock climbing. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the endemic flora and fauna, human history of indigenous lifeways, and diverse settlement patterns that have shaped the region. The Geology, Ecology, and Human History of the San Luis Valley will appeal to students and scholars of geology, ecology, environmental history, and cultural history, as well as residents and tourists seeking to know more about this fascinating and integral part of Colorado and New Mexico. Contributors: Benjamin Armstrong, Timothy Armstrong, Deacon Aspinwall, Robert Benson, Lorrie Crawford, Kristy Duran, Jeff Elison, Eric Harmon, Devin Jenkins, Bradley G. Johnson, Robert M. Kirkham, Bessie Konishi, Angie Krall, Richard D. Loosbrock, Richard Madole, A. W. Magee, Victoria Martinez, James McCalpin, Mark Mitchell, R. Nathan Pipitone, Andrew Valdez, Rio de la Vista, Damián Vergara Wilson

Download or read book The Spanish Coastal Systems written by Juan A. Morales and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This monograph presents the state of art of the geologic knowledge about the Spanish coast obtained through scientific research in the last 30 years.From a general point of view, coasts are the most quickly changing systems of the Earth. This is critical, since many human resources, such as the main part of economic and social activities, are located in the coastal areas. Especially in the case of Spain these coasts include cities, wide industrial areas (including harbor complexes), important ecologic systems, and our main economic resource: tourism. Understanding the dynamic functioning of each element of this coast is vital for correct future coastal management, so as to solve problems derived from bad plans developed in the last decades of the twentieth century. This is a valuable text for advanced graduate students and coastal researchers, which connects the specific dynamic functioning of the main Spanish coastal environments and their relationships with human activities.

Download or read book A Study of Global Sand Seas written by Edwin D. McKee and published by . This book was released on 2004-06-01 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early descriptions and considerations of the characteristics of modern eolian sand deposits, mostly in the great sand seas of the world, date back to the 1880's and 1890's, when pioneer geologists and explorers wrote their classic papers on desert dunes. One or two decades later, interest in eolian processes greatly increased when wind-formed deposits were recognized in ancient sandstones in many parts of the world and in rocks of many ages. Throughout the 20th century, as the science of geology has expanded and the programs of the U.S. Geological Survey have proliferated to keep pace, dune studies have had a similar growth. Work was initially concentrated mostly on the description of dune forms or morphology and on analysis of textural features; by midcentury, however, major contributions had been made to the physics of eolian sand by detailed studies and interpretations of minor eolian structures, by statistical analyses of cross-strata dip directions, and by the development of systems for dune classification. Most recently, interest has been renewed in detailed grain studies, in the study of cross-strata, and in interpretation of dune patterns by means of aerial photographs and Landsat imagery. A major feature of this report on global sand seas is the compilation and comparison of available data based on many different methods of investigation. The application of these studies to economic problems, which is described in one chapter, clearly illustrates the importance of eolian deposits to our present culture and to human welfare. H. William MenardDirector, U.S. Geological Survey

Download or read book The Ecology of Sandy Shores written by A.C. Brown and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2010-07-27 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ecology of Sandy Shores provides the students and researchers with a one-volume resource for understanding the conservation and management of the sandy shore ecosystem. Covering all beach types, and addressing issues from the behavioral and physiological adaptations of the biota to exploring the effects of pollution and the impact of man's activities, this book should become the standard reference for those interested in Sandy Shore study, management and preservation. - More than 25% expanded from the previous edition - Three entirely new chapters: Energetics and Nutrient Cycling, Turtles and Terrestrial Vertebrates, and Benthic Macrofauna Populations - New sections on the interstitial environment, seagrasses, human impacts and coastal zone management - Examples drawn from virtually all parts of the world, considering all beach types from the most exposed to the most sheltered

Download or read book Inland Dunes of North America written by Nicholas Lancaster and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-05-20 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inland sand dunes are widespread in North America and are found from the North Slope of Alaska to the Sonoran Desert in northern Mexico and from the Delmarva Peninsula in the east to Southern California in the west. In this edited book, we highlight recent research on areas of inland dunes that span a range from those that are actively accumulating in current conditions of climate and sediment supply to those that were formed in past conditions and are now degraded relict systems. This book will be of interest to researchers and scholars of physical geography, geomorphology, environmental sciences, and earth sciences. Contributions include detailed analyses of individual active dune systems at White Sands, New Mexico; Great Sand Dunes, Colorado; and the Laurentian Great Lakes; as well as the vegetation-stabilized dunes of the Nebraska Sand Hills and the Colorado Plateau. Additional chapters discuss the widespread partially vegetated dune systems of the central and southern Great Plains; the relict dunes of the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the eastern USA; and active and stabilized dunes of the Colorado Plateau and the southwestern deserts of the USA and northern Mexico.

Download or read book Landforms of the Earth written by Francisco Gutiérrez and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a highly illustrated book with each landform being described with the following structure: (1) Main characteristics, including geometric, morphometric and sedimentological features. (2) Genetic processes and controlling factors. (3) Different typologies if applicable. (4) Additional comments related to various relevant aspects such us environmental implications or geographical distribution. Image visualization of landforms is essential for learning geomorphology and stimulating the interest in this field-based subject; a picture is worth a thousand words. Consequently, the book constitutes a valuable educational resource for every university student enrolled in courses related with earth surface processes and landforms (e.g. Geomorphology, Physical Geography, Geology, Geohazards, Environmental Sciences.). The book is also attractive to travellers and people keen on nature who want to know about the terminology and origin of the landforms they encounter in their trips. In many cases, the geomorphological features constitute the main asset of first-class protected areas (e.g., UNESCO World Heritage Sites, National Parks).

Download or read book Geomorphology of Desert Dunes written by Nicholas Lancaster and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-07-04 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How desert dunes are formed, how they change, their environmental significance and the role of climate change - these issues are examined through extensive case studies drawn from South Africa, India, Northern Europe and Australia.

Download or read book An Island Called California written by Elna Bakker and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-04-28 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bakker’s classic of ecological science now includes three new chapters on Southern California which make the book more useful than ever. Striking new photographs illustrate the diversity of life, climate, and geological formation. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1985. Bakker’s classic of ecological science now includes three new chapters on Southern California which make the book more useful than ever. Striking new photographs illustrate the diversity of life, climate, and geological formation. This title is

Download or read book Desert Geomorphology written by Ronald U. Cooke and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1993-01-14 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Including recent research findings from terrestrial satellite imagery, the study of planetary landscapes, and advances in laboratory work, this also covers the environmental processes involved in desertification and the solution of planning and

Download or read book The Namib Sand Sea written by N. Lancaster and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1989-01-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lancaster (geology, Arizona State U.) reports on investigations of dune forms, processes and sediments in the Namib Sand Sea of southwestern Africa, which are used to develop models for the formation of dunes and sand seas and their rock equivalents. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Oregon, USA. Contents: Regional physiographic & climatic setting; Dune morphology & morphometry: Dune sediments; Dune processes; Controls of dune morphology; Accumulation of the sand sea. References; Appendices.

Download or read book Coastal Structures 2003 written by Jeffrey A. Melby and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 1420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection contains 110 papers presented at Coastal Structures 2003, held in Portland, Oregon, August 26-30, 2003.

Download or read book Landscapes and Landforms of Egypt written by Nabil Sayed Embabi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-11-24 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a unique reference resource not only for geomorphologists, but for all Earth scientists. It shows how landforms vary enormously across Egypt, from high mountains to endless plains, and presents the vast heritage of forms that have developed under different climates. Richly illustrated with numerous plates and figures, it also includes a bibliography offering exhaustive coverage of the literature.