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Book Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards written by Peter T. Bobrowsky and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few subjects have caught the attention of the entire world as much as those dealing with natural hazards. The first decade of this new millennium provides a litany of tragic examples of various hazards that turned into disasters affecting millions of individuals around the globe. The human losses (some 225,000 people) associated with the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the economic costs (approximately 200 billion USD) of the 2011 Tohoku Japan earthquake, tsunami and reactor event, and the collective social impacts of human tragedies experienced during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 all provide repetitive reminders that we humans are temporary guests occupying a very active and angry planet. Any examples may have been cited here to stress the point that natural events on Earth may, and often do, lead to disasters and catastrophes when humans place themselves into situations of high risk. Few subjects share the true interdisciplinary dependency that characterizes the field of natural hazards. From geology and geophysics to engineering and emergency response to social psychology and economics, the study of natural hazards draws input from an impressive suite of unique and previously independent specializations. Natural hazards provide a common platform to reduce disciplinary boundaries and facilitate a beneficial synergy in the provision of timely and useful information and action on this critical subject matter. As social norms change regarding the concept of acceptable risk and human migration leads to an explosion in the number of megacities, coastal over-crowding and unmanaged habitation in precarious environments such as mountainous slopes, the vulnerability of people and their susceptibility to natural hazards increases dramatically. Coupled with the concerns of changing climates, escalating recovery costs, a growing divergence between more developed and less developed countries, the subject of natural hazards remains on the forefront of issues that affect all people, nations, and environments all the time. This treatise provides a compendium of critical, timely and very detailed information and essential facts regarding the basic attributes of natural hazards and concomitant disasters. The Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards effectively captures and integrates contributions from an international portfolio of almost 300 specialists whose range of expertise addresses over 330 topics pertinent to the field of natural hazards. Disciplinary barriers are overcome in this comprehensive treatment of the subject matter. Clear illustrations and numerous color images enhance the primary aim to communicate and educate. The inclusion of a series of unique “classic case study” events interspersed throughout the volume provides tangible examples linking concepts, issues, outcomes and solutions. These case studies illustrate different but notable recent, historic and prehistoric events that have shaped the world as we now know it. They provide excellent focal points linking the remaining terms in the volume to the primary field of study. This Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards will remain a standard reference of choice for many years.

Book The Oxford Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards Governance

Download or read book The Oxford Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards Governance written by Brian J. Gerber and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards Governance is published as part of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science.

Book Encyclopedia of Crisis Management

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Crisis Management written by K. Bradley Penuel and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2013-03 with total page 1177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From general theories and concepts exploring the meaning and causes of crisis to practical strategies and techniques relevant to crises of specific types, crisis management is thoroughly explored. Features & Benefits: @* A collection of 385 signed entries are organized in A-to-Z fashion in 2 volumes available in both print and electronic formats.@* Entries conclude with Cross-References and Further Readings to guide students to in-depth resources.@* Selected entries feature boxed case studies, providing students with "lessons learned" in how various crises were successfully or unsuccessfully managed and why.@* Although organized A-to-Z, a thematic "Reader's Guide" in the front matter groups related entries by broad areas (e.g., Agencies & Organizations, Theories & Techniques, Economic Crises, etc.).@* Also in the front matter, a Chronology provides students with historical perspective on the development of crisis management as a discrete field of study.@* The work concludes with a comprehensive Index, which-in the electronic version-combines with the Reader's Guide and Cross-References to provide thorough search-and-browse capabilities.@* A template for an "All-Hazards Preparedness Plan" is provided the backmatter; the electronic version of this allows students to explore customized response plans for crises of various sorts.@* Appendices also include a Resource Guide to classic books, journals, and internet resources in the field, a Glossary, and a vetted list of crisis management-related degree programs, crisis management conferences, etc.

Book Dull Disasters

Download or read book Dull Disasters written by Daniel Jonathan Clarke and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY 3.0 IGO licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Dull Disasters? shows how countries and their partners can better prepare for natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and drought. By harnessing lessons from finance, political science, economics, psychology, and the naturalsciences, it is possible for governments, civil society, private firms, and international organizations to work together to achieve better preparedness, thereby reducing the risks to people and economies and enablingquicker recoveries. In this way, responses to disasters become less emotional, less political, less headline-grabbing, and more business as usual and effective.

Book The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes

Download or read book The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes written by Haraldur Sigurdsson and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2015-03-06 with total page 1447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volcanoes are unquestionably one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring features of the physical world. Our paradoxical fascination with them stems from their majestic beauty and powerful, sometimes deadly, destructiveness. Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in volcanology since ancient times, some of the mystery surrounding volcanic eruptions remains today. The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes summarizes our present knowledge of volcanoes; it provides a comprehensive source of information on the causes of volcanic eruptions and both the destructive and beneficial effects. The early chapters focus on the science of volcanism (melting of source rocks, ascent of magma, eruption processes, extraterrestrial volcanism, etc.). Later chapters discuss human interface with volcanoes, including the history of volcanology, geothermal energy resources, interaction with the oceans and atmosphere, health aspects of volcanism, mitigation of volcanic disasters, post-eruption ecology, and the impact of eruptions on organismal biodiversity. - Provides the only comprehensive reference work to cover all aspects of volcanology - Written by nearly 100 world experts in volcanology - Explores an integrated transition from the physical process of eruptions through hazards and risk, to the social face of volcanism, with an emphasis on how volcanoes have influenced and shaped society - Presents hundreds of color photographs, maps, charts and illustrations making this an aesthetically appealing reference - Glossary of 3,000 key terms with definitions of all key vocabulary items in the field is included

Book The Big Ones

    Book Details:
  • Author : Dr. Lucy Jones
  • Publisher : Anchor
  • Release : 2019-03-19
  • ISBN : 0525434283
  • Pages : 258 pages

Download or read book The Big Ones written by Dr. Lucy Jones and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By the world-renowned seismologist, a riveting history of natural disasters, their impact on our culture, and new ways of thinking about the ones to come Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes--they stem from the same forces that give our planet life. Earthquakes give us natural springs; volcanoes produce fertile soil. It is only when these forces exceed our ability to withstand them that they become disasters. Together they have shaped our cities and their architecture; elevated leaders and toppled governments; influenced the way we think, feel, fight, unite, and pray. The history of natural disasters is a history of ourselves. In The Big Ones, leading seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones offers a bracing look at some of the world's greatest natural disasters, whose reverberations we continue to feel today. At Pompeii, Jones explores how a volcanic eruption in the first century AD challenged prevailing views of religion. She examines the California floods of 1862 and the limits of human memory. And she probes more recent events--such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and the American hurricanes of 2017--to illustrate the potential for globalization to humanize and heal. With population in hazardous regions growing and temperatures around the world rising, the impacts of natural disasters are greater than ever before. The Big Ones is more than just a work of history or science; it is a call to action. Natural hazards are inevitable; human catastrophes are not. With this energizing and exhaustively researched book, Dr. Jones offers a look at our past, readying us to face down the Big Ones in our future.

Book Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology written by Peter T. Bobrowsky and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume addresses the multi-disciplinary topic of engineering geology and the environment, one of the fastest growing, most relevant and applied fields of research and study within the geosciences. It covers the fundamentals of geology and engineering where the two fields overlap and, in addition, highlights specialized topics that address principles, concepts and paradigms of the discipline, including operational terms, materials, tools, techniques and methods as well as processes, procedures and implications. A number of well known and respected international experts contributed to this authoritative volume, thereby ensuring proper geographic representation, professional credibility and reliability. This superb volume provides a dependable and ready source of information on approximately 300 topical entries relevant to all aspects of engineering geology. Extensive illustrations, figures, images, tables and detailed bibliographic citations ensure that the comprehensively defined contributions are broadly and clearly explained. The Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology provides a ready source of reference for several fields of study and practice including civil engineers, geologists, physical geographers, architects, hazards specialists, hydrologists, geotechnicians, geophysicists, geomorphologists, planners, resource explorers, and many others. As a key library reference, this book is an essential technical source for undergraduate and graduate students in their research. Teachers/professors can rely on it as the final authority and the first source of reference on engineering geology related studies as it provides an exceptional resource to train and educate the next generation of practitioners.

Book Encyclopedia of Environmental Health

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Environmental Health written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2019-08-22 with total page 4896 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Encyclopedia of Environmental Health, Second Edition, Six Volume Set presents the newest release in this fundamental reference that updates and broadens the umbrella of environmental health, especially social and environmental health for its readers. There is ongoing revolution in governance, policies and intervention strategies aimed at evolving changes in health disparities, disease burden, trans-boundary transport and health hazards. This new edition reflects these realities, mapping new directions in the field that include how to minimize threats and develop new scientific paradigms that address emerging local, national and global environmental concerns. Represents a one-stop resource for scientifically reliable information on environmental health Fills a critical gap, with information on one of the most rapidly growing scientific fields of our time Provides comparative approaches to environmental health practice and research in different countries and regions of the world Covers issues behind specific questions and describes the best available scientific methods for environmental risk assessment

Book Disaster Diplomacy

    Book Details:
  • Author : Ilan Kelman
  • Publisher : Routledge
  • Release : 2011-08-26
  • ISBN : 1136653732
  • Pages : 181 pages

Download or read book Disaster Diplomacy written by Ilan Kelman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2011-08-26 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When an earthquake hits a war zone or cyclone aid is flown in by an enemy, many ask: Can catastrophe bring peace? Disaster prevention and mitigation provide similar questions. Could setting up a flood warning system bring enemy countries together? Could a regional earthquake building code set the groundwork for wider regional cooperation? This book examines how and why disaster-related activities do and do not create peace and reduce conflict. Disaster-related activities refer to actions before a disaster such as prevention and mitigation along with actions after a disaster such as emergency response, humanitarian relief, and reconstruction. This volume investigates disaster diplomacy case studies from around the world, in a variety of political and disaster circumstances, from earthquakes in Greece and Turkey affecting these neighbours’ bilateral relations to volcanoes and typhoons influencing intra-state conflict in the Philippines. Dictatorships are amongst the case studies, such as Cuba and Burma, along with democracies such as the USA and India. No evidence is found to suggest that disaster diplomacy is a prominent factor in conflict resolution. Instead, disaster-related activities often influence peace processes in the short-term—over weeks and months—provided that a non-disaster-related basis already existed for the reconciliation. That could be secret negotiations between the warring parties or strong trade or cultural links. Over the long-term, disaster-related influences disappear, succumbing to factors such as a leadership change, the usual patterns of political enmity, or belief that an historical grievance should take precedence over disaster-related bonds. This is the first book on disaster diplomacy. Disaster-politics interactions have been studied for decades, but usually from a specific political framing, covering a specific geographical area, or from a specific disaster framing. As well, plenty of quantitative work has been completed, yet the data limitations are rarely admitted openly or thoroughly analysed. Few publications bring together the topics of disasters and politics in terms of a disaster diplomacy framework, yielding a grounded, qualitative, scientific point of view on the topic.

Book Natural Disasters

    Book Details:
  • Author : David C. Alexander
  • Publisher : CRC Press
  • Release : 1993-07-29
  • ISBN : 9781857280944
  • Pages : 656 pages

Download or read book Natural Disasters written by David C. Alexander and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1993-07-29 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a well balanced and fully illustrated introductory text, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the physical, technological and social components of natural disaster. The main disaster-producing agents are reviewed systematically in terms of geophysical processes and effects, monitoring, mitigation and warning. The relationship between disasters and society is examined with respect to a wide variety of themes, including damage assessment and prevention, hazard mapping, emergency preparedness, the provision of shelter and the nature of reconstruction. Medical emergencies and the epidemiology of disasters are described, and refugee management and aid to the Third World are discussed. A chapter is devoted to the sociology, psychology, economics and history of disasters.; In many parts of the world the toll of death, injury, damage and deprivation caused by natural disasters is becoming increasingly serious. Major earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods and other similar catastrophes are often followed by large relief operations characterized by substantial involvement of the international community. The years 1990-2000 have therefore been designated by the United Nations as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.; The book goes beyond mere description and elevates the field of natural catastrophes to a serious academic level. The author's insights and perspectives are also informed by his practical experience of being a disaster victim and survivor, and hence the unique perspective of a participant observer. Only by surmounting the boundaries between disciplines can natural catastrophe be understood and mitigation efforts made effective. Thus, this book is perhaps the first completely interdisciplinary, fully comprehensive survey of natural hazards and disasters. It has a clear theoretical basis and it recognizes the importance of six fundamental approaches to the field, which it blends carefully in the text in order to avoid the partiality of previous works. It covers the earth and social sciences, as well as engineering, architecture and development studies. This breadth is made possible by virtue of a strong emphasis on simple principles of the interaction of geophysical agents with human vulnerability and response.; All students of environmental sciences/studies and geography should find this book useful. It is an introductory text which treats this dramatic subject area as something demanding serious academic treatment and not just as an assemblage of horror stories.; This book is intended for undergraduate students in geography and environmental studies/sciences. The book should also appeal to any professional or researcher concerned with man- environment relations, whether in social science or natural science or engineering.

Book Inaugural Section Special Issue

Download or read book Inaugural Section Special Issue written by Deodato Tapete and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-02-22 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book collects selected high-quality papers published in 2018–2020 to inaugurate the “Natural Hazards” Section of the Geosciences journal. The topics encompass: trends in publications at international level in the field of natural hazards research; the role of Big Data in natural disaster management; assessment of seismic risk through the understanding and quantification of its different components; climatic/hydro-meteorological hazards; and finally, the scientific analysis and disaster forensics of recent natural hazard events. The target audience includes not only specialists, but also graduate students who wish to approach the challenging, but also fascinating

Book Disaster by Choice

    Book Details:
  • Author : Ilan Kelman
  • Publisher : Oxford University Press
  • Release : 2020-02-27
  • ISBN : 0192578286
  • Pages : 180 pages

Download or read book Disaster by Choice written by Ilan Kelman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-02-27 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An earthquake shatters Haiti and a hurricane slices through Texas. We hear that nature runs rampant, seeking to destroy us through these 'natural disasters'. Science recounts a different story, however: disasters are not the consequence of natural causes; they are the consequence of human choices and decisions. we put ourselves in harm's way; we fail to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what the environment does. This can be both hard to accept, and hard to unravel. A complex of factors shape disasters. They arise from the political processes dictating where and what we build, and from social circumstances which create and perpetuate poverty and discrimination. They develop from the social preference to blame nature for the damage wrought, when in fact events such as earthquakes and storms are entirely commonplace environmental processes We feel the need to fight natural forces, to reclaim what we assume is ours, and to protect ourselves from what we perceive to be wrath from outside our communities. This attitude distracts us from the real causes of disasters: humanity's decisions, as societies and as individuals. It stops us accepting the real solutions to disasters: making better decisions. This book explores stories of some of our worst disasters to show how we can and should act to stop people dying when nature unleashes its energies. The disaster is not the tornado, the volcanic eruption, or climate change, but the deaths and injuries, the loss of irreplaceable property, and the lack and even denial of support to affected people, so that a short-term interruption becomes a long-term recovery nightmare. But we can combat this, as Kelman shows, describing inspiring examples of effective human action that limits damage, such as managing flooding in Toronto and villages in Bangladesh, or wildfire in Colorado. Throughout, his message is clear: there is no such thing as a natural disaster. The disaster lies in our inability to deal with the environment and with ourselves.

Book Encyclopedia of Earthquake Engineering

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Earthquake Engineering written by Michael Beer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-01-30 with total page 3953 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopedia of Earthquake Engineering is designed to be the authoritative and comprehensive reference covering all major aspects of the science of earthquake engineering, specifically focusing on the interaction between earthquakes and infrastructure. The encyclopedia comprises approximately 300 contributions. Since earthquake engineering deals with the interaction between earthquake disturbances and the built infrastructure, the emphasis is on basic design processes important to both non-specialists and engineers so that readers become suitably well informed without needing to deal with the details of specialist understanding. The encyclopedia’s content provides technically-inclined and informed readers about the ways in which earthquakes can affect our infrastructure and how engineers would go about designing against, mitigating and remediating these effects. The coverage ranges from buildings, foundations, underground construction, lifelines and bridges, roads, embankments and slopes. The encyclopedia also aims to provide cross-disciplinary and cross-domain information to domain-experts. This is the first single reference encyclopedia of this breadth and scope that brings together the science, engineering and technological aspects of earthquakes and structures.

Book Risk and Uncertainty Assessment for Natural Hazards

Download or read book Risk and Uncertainty Assessment for Natural Hazards written by Jonathan Rougier and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-02-21 with total page 587 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Assessment of risk and uncertainty is crucial for natural hazard risk management, facilitating risk communication and informing strategies to successfully mitigate our society's vulnerability to natural disasters. Written by some of the world's leading experts, this book provides a state-of-the-art overview of risk and uncertainty assessment in natural hazards. It presents the core statistical concepts using clearly defined terminology applicable across all types of natural hazards and addresses the full range of sources of uncertainty, the role of expert judgement and the practice of uncertainty elicitation. The core of the book provides detailed coverage of all the main hazard types and concluding chapters address the wider societal context of risk management. This is an invaluable compendium for academic researchers and professionals working in the fields of natural hazards science, risk assessment and management and environmental science, and will be of interest to anyone involved in natural hazards policy.

Book Encyclopedia of Coastal Science

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Coastal Science written by Charles W. Finkl and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-06-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This thoroughly revised and expanded edition of the much acclaimed Encyclopedia of Coastal Science edited by M. Schwarz (Springer 2005), presents an interdisciplinary approach that includes biology, ecology, engineering, geology, geomorphology, oceanography, remote sensing, technological advances, and anthropogenic impacts on coasts. Within its covers the Encyclopedia of Coastal Science, 2nd ed. brings together and coordinates many aspects of coastal and related sciences that are widely dispersed in the scientific literature. The broadly interdisciplinary subject matter of this volume features contributions by over 280 well-known international specialists in their respective fields and provides an abundance of figures in full-color with line drawings and photographs, and other illustrations such as satellite images. Not only does this volume offer a large number of new and revised entries, it also includes an illustrated glossary of coastal geomorphology, extensive bibliographic citations, and cross-references. It provides a comprehensive reference work for students, scientific and technical professionals as well as administrators, managers, and informed lay readers. Reviews from the first edition: Awarded for Excellence in Scholarly and Professional Publishing: “Honorable Mention”, in the category Single Volume/Science from the Association of American Publishers (AAP) 2005. "The contents and approach are interdisciplinary and, under a single cover, one finds subjects normally scattered throughout scientific literature." "The topics cover a broad spectrum, so does the geographic range of the contributors. ... besides geomorphologists, biologists, ecologists, engineers, geographers, geologists, oceanographers and technologists will find information related to their respective fields ... . Inclusion of appendices ... is very useful. The illustrated glossary of geomorphology will prove very useful for many of us ... ." Roger H. Charlier, Journal of Coastal Research, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 866, July 2005. "It is an excellent work that should be included in any carefully selected list of best science reference books of the year "Summing Up: Highly recommended. " M.L. Larsgaard, Choice, Volume 43, Issue 6, Page 989, February 2006. "This volume is a comprehensive collection of articles covering all aspects of the subject: social and economic, engineering, coastal processes, habitats, erosion, geological features, research and observation." ... "As with similar works reviewed, I chose to read articles on familiar topics to see if they covered the expected, and some on unfamiliar topics to see if they could be readily understood. The book passed both tests, but the style is denser and more fact-filled than most of the encyclopedias I have reviewed." John Goodier, Reference Reviews, Volume 20, Issue 2, pages 35-36, 2006

Book Geomorphological Hazards and Disaster Prevention

Download or read book Geomorphological Hazards and Disaster Prevention written by Irasema Alcántara and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-03-04 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A state-of-the-art assessment of how geomorphology contributes to the comprehension, mapping and modelling of hazardous Earth surface processes.

Book Natural Hazards  UnNatural Disasters

Download or read book Natural Hazards UnNatural Disasters written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2010-11-10 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines how to ensure that the preventive measures are worthwhile and effective, and how people can make decisions individually and collectively at different levels of government.