Amazon.com

"The tectonic history of any one part of the earth, like the life of a soldier, consists of long periods of boredom and short periods of terror." With this quotation from geologist Derek Ager, Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental journalist Philip Fradkin, "a literary geologist with a notebook in one hand and a hammer in the other," begins his trip along the San Andreas Fault. His persistent question is how "a culture could ignore this powerful natural agent while simultaneously being shaped by it." Fradkin himself lives near the fault, and he understands the human reluctance to remember the past and to prepare for the inevitable. He looks at the history and impact of the major California earthquakes of the past 150 years, from Fort Teijin in 1857 to Northridge in 1994. Throughout, he exposes the problems caused by human shortcomings: the amnesia of the general public, earthquake engineers' conflicts of interest, and the failures of science. His discussions of the politics of earthquake prediction and of the "arcane systems" used to measure earthquake magnitudes are the best in print. "I wanted others to be aware of the fault's physical presence and its awesome power," Fradkin writes. He may also succeed at raising Californians' awareness of how to prepare for earthquakes--and at shortening their feelings of boredom while lengthening their periods of prudent terror. --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Important Work
This is an important work; well researched and well written. It should be required reading for all public officials in California. More illustrations would have been useful. Highly recommended.

Creates a personal visceral feel for powerful earth force
Yesterday, August 17, I was sitting in Point Reyes, CA., home of author Phil Fradkin, directly overhanging the San Andreas fault. I was on page 121 of Magnitude 8, when suddenly the house began to move. It swayed back and forth like a tree hut in a gale for about 15 seconds. Yes, it was a minor 5.0 magnitude quake centered in nearby Bolinas. Powerful Writing!

Great book by an author who has put his heart and soul into internalizing the meaning of these mysterious earth processes.

Enthralling, thoughtful, and sobering, but with a few warts
Fradkin travels the length of the San Andreas by car, by kayak, and on foot, describing its perils and its history. Into his story of the San Andreas he weaves parallel threads about earthquakes elsewhere, always playing up the public's denial of earthquake hazard.

As a seismologist, I found the book often irritating (right down to its title: there is no evidence that the San Andreas has ever suffered a magnitude 8 earthquake or that it ever will), and sometimes too dramatic, but in the end it left me with a feeling of chagrin. Fradkin put together a good, coherent story of the San Andreas' hazards, but to do so, he had to fight his way through arcane jargon. His comment that the scientists don't know how to communicate makes me squirm, but it is absolutely right.

Not only is this a must-read for anyone within 200 miles of the San Andreas, it should be required for all seismologists and emergency managers who ever have to talk to the public.

Facinating blend of narative and science
This book tells the story of California and it's geology in way that connects it with real life. It brings home how we conspire to ignore the earthquake threat. A must for CA residents. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive history of plate tectonics, told by the scientists who developed and assembled evidence for the theory.

Can anyone today imagine the earth without its puzzle-piece construction of plate tectonics? The very term, "plate tectonics," coined only thirty-five years ago, is now part of the vernacular, part of everyone's understanding of the way the earth works.

The theory, research, data collection, and analysis that came together in 1967 to constitute plate tectonics is one of the great scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century. Scholarly books have been written about tectonics, but none by the key scientists-players themselves. In Plate Tectonics, editor Naomi Oreskes has assembled those scientists who played key roles in developing the theory to tell - for the first time, and in their own words - the stories of their involvement in the extraordinary evolution of the theory. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics: An Insider's History of the Moden Theory of the Earth edited by Naomi Oreskes is a book about the movement of the land masses on the Earth and how the theory of plate tectonics came about. In the book there are seventeen original essays by the scientists who made earth history as they explain how placte tectonics works.

Plate tectonics is a science that you'd think has been around for a long time, but in fact, not until 1968 has the theory, research, data collection and analysis came together. The movement of relatively static land masses was not a popular idea, especially in the oil industry, where they believed that tectonics was not a viable theory.

This book takes us on a journey in history giving us a historical background of continental drift to plate tectonics. What I find extemely interesting about this book is the actual players in the development of the theory are represented here. Giving their accounts and insight into why things are as they are... explaining their thought processes in confirmation of the theory of plate tectonics.

Each author gives a piece of the puzzle until there is enough evidence that a workable theory can be developed. These authors tell us in their own words, making for a compelling book about discovery. Also, the reader will find an overview of definitions of terms used throughout the book, this keeps the readers interest as you will not be overburdoned with terms you do not understnd.

All in all, this is a very readable book as it explains the science of plate tectonics and the inter-relationship of this science to man's well-being on earth.

Delightful "insiders' history"
This book will delight all historians of science. The indefatigable Naomi Oreskes, known for her excellent history of continental drift and plate tectonics, has assembled reminiscences by the surviving founders of plate tectonics theory. Dr. Oreskes deserves the highest praise for this. Alas, the senior figures such as Arthur Holmes and Harry Hess are no longer with us; the writers of these essays were graduate students in the critical early 1960s. Now elders themselves, they recall the excitement of coming on the scene just when all was breaking loose. Even the most sober number-crunchers manage to write with infectious enthusiasm. The theories are explained in a notably accessible fashion, and the varied intellectual currents of the time (and, in some essays, subsequent decades) are brought out. My one complaint--as a reader interested in the history of science--is that the writers don't say much about their personal lives. One suspects that some of them have no personal lives beyond number-crunching. Most, however, hint at or partially reveal rich and interesting backgrounds that clearly affected their thoughts. Only Peter Molnar does much more than hint, and, although he claims that one reader called his essay "unexpurgated," even he is rather reticent. Still, this volume is a gold mine, providing a very different look at one of the most "revolutionary" (in scare quotes) theoretical advances in the history of science. The consensus here seems to be that it was indeed a revolution, at least in the eyes of American graduate students of the 1960s, but not a Kuhnian revolution brought about by highly intellectualized "paradigm shifts" (Kuhn 1962); it was brought about by new field methods that brought floods of new data. These allowed the development of real mathematical models. One can only stand in awe of the amount of work this entailed. Several authors speak of working day and night, week after week, on data entry and computer jockeying. They managed this without any loss of enthusiasm--quite the reverse, apparently. Ah, youth.

Plate Tectonics as told by those that assembled the theory
This is a highly informative account of both the ideas that led to the development of Plate Tectonic theory and the concepts of how the earth works. The book is engaging to read and is understandable to an audience at the level of Scientific American. I am using it as a required text in my course at Columbia University titled "Plate-tectonic theory and its geological corollaries". For those fascinated in how the human mind puts observations together to build ideas and then test them, this book is first rate. Each chapter is crafted by a different researcher describing his or her contribution to the over all theory. The reader encounters brilliant and original ideas discarded by peer review, scientists peeping over each other's shoulder, the rush to the goal line to publish first, competition for access to key data sets, a last minute conversion from the static earth perspective, and the thrill of exploration at sea. The authors presents a wonderful history in Chapter 1 of the intellectual passage from the first inkling of continental drift in the 16th century to the breakthrough in 1966-1968 of the full-blown theory of rigid lithosphere paving stones and narrow plate boundaries. ... Read more

Book Description

Earthquakes are nearly unique among natural phenomena - they affect virtually everything within a region, from massive buildings and bridges, down to the furnishings within a home. Successful earthquake engineering therefore requires a broad background in subjects, ranging from the geologic causes and effects of earthquakes to understanding the impact of these effects on foundations, buildings, structures, the infrastructure, and even their social and economic impact. The Earthquake Engineering Handbook is a comprehensive resource that covers the spectrum of topics relevant to designing for and mitigating earthquakes. In it, international experts present engineering practices, research, and developments in North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim countries. The emphasis is on professional applications, with discussion ranging from basic dynamics and geoscience to new technologies intended to avoid rather than resist the forces of earthquakes. Covering both traditional and innovative practices, the Earthquake Engineering Handbook is the first professional reference that brings together all of earthquake engineering's many facets. Formulas, tables, and illustrations give immediate answers to questions arising in practice, and summaries of the essential elements of each topic paint a global picture from which readers can develop understanding and the ability to think beyond the results presented. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Geology is fun
Since my husband and I were going to be spending a week in Pennsylvania, I brought the Roadside Geology book of PA along. I was interested in understanding the local geology and was happy to discover three fossil sites within the area we stayed. I was able to look at a Triassic fossil dinosaur footprint at one site and find some Devonian fossils in another. The Roadside Geology book is great for someone who only has a short period of time to explore a particular area. I hope they'll put one out for every state (particularly Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...hint hint hint.) ... Read more

Book Description

This interesting book uses plate tectonics as its central theme; it acquaints readers with California geology. Basic principles in the beginning of the book and tables of highlights for each province enable the reader to understand the whole picture of catastrophic national disasters, California history, mining methods, and societal impacts; it brings the lessons of geology closer to the everyday context of California life.After a comprehensive overview of the basic principles of geology, this book then focuses on the geological highlights of California (young volcanoes, deserts, the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada, the Klamath Mountains, water, the Great Valley, the coast Ranges, earthquakes, faults, and seismic safety, the transverse ranges, and the peninsular ranges). The inside back and front covers of the book contain a wealth of readily available information, with comprehensive geologic, fault, relief, and mountain range maps.A handy desk reference for geologists, this book is also a source of information for anyone interested in the evolution of California's terrain. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The ONLY up-to-date textbook on California geology
Deborah Hardin's textbook on California geology is superior to all previous texts inasmuch as she is the first to utilize the theory of plate tectonics to provide a unified framework for her overall exposition. Instead of being bombarded with an encyclopedic but chaotic assemblage of rock types and unconnected microprocesses, the reader is treated to a consistent and comprehensive picture of how California came to be that hangs together remarkably well.

Harden utilized the recent research of countless other geologists to put together this book, and her hard work has paid off. She includes several chapters that provide a conceptual overview of geologic principles, then goes on in successive sections to describe how various forces and processes related ultimately to plate tectonics have been responsible for the evolution of various distinctive landforms and geomorphic regions of California. She also includes a final chapter that is a stand-alone summary version of the "geological history of California." Throughout the book, she makes clear again and again how a clear understanding of the various ways that tectonic plates can interact is absolutely fundamental to understanding how California has come into existence over the past several hundred million years. It's a fascinating story, and Harden's text will help anyone willing to read carefully and study a bit to learn the basics of California geology.

As an added bonus, Harden has included several sections that are linked to present-day environmental hazards, most notably those related to the constant threat of earthquakes in the Golden State. Such information is, of course linked directly to the geology of the state that she has described and explained so well.

The illustrations and diagrams re not terribly elaborate, but they are helpful and reasonably plentiful. Also included are some small-sized versions of the standard California geology and fault maps.

The main drawback to this publication is its astronomical price. This is hardly Harden's fault, however, as high prices seem to be the unfortunate standard for college textbooks these days. ... Read more

Book Description

Providing a comprehensive overview of the significance of the glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, this study reviews the theory behind climatological observations.It describes present modelling studies and predicted future changes in the mass balances of these key indicators of global climate change. The volume is an important reference for scientists working in climate change, environmental sciences and glaciology. ... Read more

Book Description

This book, first published in 1941, is a reprinting of the 1954 edition.

It is the first and only book to deal exclusively with the behavior of blown sand and the land forms due to it. The author studied the sands of North Africa for many years before World War II and was recognized as an authority on the subject.

Part I is concerned largely with the author's wind tunnel experiments by which the mechanism of sand transport was investigated. An account of the observed movement ofthe individual grains, followed by a chapter on the ground wind and its dependence on the type of surface over which it blows, leads up to a comprehensive picture of the interaction between the wind and the sand it moves.

Part II deals with small-scale phenomena such as ripples and ridges, and with the closely allied subject of the size-grading of the grains.

In part III the forgoing results are used to explain the growth and movement of dunes in general, and the characteristics of the two main dune types. A new method of determining the internal structure of sand accumulating throws a practical light both on their carrying power for motor transport and on their power of water retention. A final chapter from first-hand knowledge, has been added on the intriguing subject of "singing sand". ... Read more

Amazon.com

On January 14, 1993, Stanley Williams led a party of fellow geologists up Galeras, a Colombian volcano that, though historically active, had been lying quiet long enough that they suspected it was due for an episode--and thus an opportunity for the volcanologists to practice their predicting skills. As they reached the lip of its great crater, Galeras obliged them with a vengeance: it erupted in a burst of fire and toxic gas, killing several members of the party and leaving Williams scorched and broken, "sprawled on my side, caked in ash and blood, wet from the rain, bones protruding from my burned clothes, my jaw hanging slackly."

Rescued by two colleagues, Marta Velasco and Patty Mothes, Williams faced several challenges in the years to come--not only healing his body and exorcising the ghosts of Galeras, but also contending with other colleagues' whispered charges that he should have known the mountain was about to blow. But death, Williams and collaborator Fen Montaigne (Reeling in Russia) write, comes with the territory. Whenever a volcano has erupted in recent years, it seems, a volcanologist is among its victims, for, Williams notes, "the best way to understand a volcano is still, in my opinion, to climb it," and to climb it in all of its moods. And those moods, Williams and Montaigne add, are not easy to forecast, even if earth scientists have developed ever more accurate ways to predict events such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

At once a study in mountains, the history of geology, and the will to endure, Surviving Galeras is often terrifying, and altogether memorable. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Honest & riveting account of field scientists
Surviving Galeras provides a fascinating and valuable read. The book blends solid, clearly explained science with insightful and honest descriptions of the events before, during, and after the catastrophic eruption of Galeras volcano in Columbia. As a field geologist who occasionally works in risky environments (but not volcanoes), I found Williams' description of the personalities who do this sort of work and the way they reached decisions to be familiar and, more importantly, entirely rational and reasonable. Williams and Montaigne allow the reader to really understand how this type of field scientist works.

Anyone who has been in the midst of an event where people died or were seriously injured knows that memories don't get recorded accurately. Williams acknowledges the problem and presents the memories of others as well as his own. Some of Williams's critics have placed an unnecessary blackmark on both their profession and their agencies by airing "dirty laundry". Public rantings have ranged from legitimate (but overly inflammatory) debate over the value of seismic vs. gas flux data to asinine declarations that mandating hard hats would have minimized this tragedy. Fortunately, Williams and Montaigne have stayed with the high road in their book and avoided the temptation of pandering to journalist in search of creating conflict. In this book, Williams shows great respect for all his colleagues, even his critics, and one senses the effort to provide balance to the story. I have only been in the field with one person (Patty Mothes) in the book and she is portrayed exactly as the person I know. Williams does not minimize the credit due to his colleagues, whether for their scientific endeavors or their heroism on the fateful day. He shows remarkable class in honoring his graduate students (a trait all too rare in American academia), praising his fallen colleagues and his rescuers, and presenting the conflicting views of his critics.

Good science requires a variety of approaches and, far too often, practitioners of the different styles see themselves as competitors for grant money and acclaim. Divergent geologist who view themselves as colleagues serve the profession far better. Valuable information comes from the lab and the computer. But, despite our progress in these "safe" venues of science, field observations still provide critical data. Obtaining that data on active volcanoes requires a personality that accepts, even enjoys, risk. Williams calls these folks, "My kind of geologist." But, some of Williams critics seem to think that this personality trait is better applied to bungee jumping, driving fast cars, and chain-smoking cigarettes instead of striving to better understand a public hazard. Their logic evades me. We need the out-on-the-edge field scientists, and Surviving Galeras helps show us why without denigrating the other approaches to studying volcanoes. We need the lab-oriented geochemist and computer-oriented geophysicists, also. But, the nature of public opinion is that field scientists make sexier subjects for the journalist, which seems to annoy some non-field folks. Unfortunately, it appears that the one thing more attractive to some journalists than a cutting-edge, field scientists is personal controversy.

Read Surviving Galeras. It's a great read....entertaining, informative, and void of the emotional smears that mark other accounts of this dramatic event.

The role of the ego in science
This book, along with Victoria Bruce's account of the disaster at Galeras are a must read for anyone interested in Earth science or psychology. Williams appears to be a rogue volcanologist with a cavalier attitude about the dangers of working inside an active volcano. The simple fact is that Williams apparently did have some warning that Galeras was not 'sleeping' the day he led the conference into the crater and he did not insist on safety precautions. As leader of the expedition, Williams could easily have demanded that everyone wear safety gear or they would not be allowed inside. Apparently, Williams thinks anyone who is interested in safety is somewhat of a wimp. While hard hats, gas masks and flame retardent suits would not have saved everyone, no doubt a few of the nine might have also lived. The post-disaster story is almost as intriguing as the events leading to the disaster Williams appears as a glory seeker 'cashing in' on his compatriots ill-fortune. That is perhaps over-emphasized in Bruce's account. Williams himself suffered a serious head injury that apparently left him with some behavioral problems and difficulty in living a normal life. Nevertheless, he was made aware of how he was portraying the incident and has done little to correct those errors of fact publicly. I highly reccomend you read both accounts. Williams ego comes through strongly in both accounts of the story and yet this book paints a somewhat different picture of the post-tragedy fallout.

Great adventure read
I couldn't put this down. It is a great adventure story and and excellent look at a breed of the most adventure-seeking people in the world -- field vulcanologists.

Nothing but a damn lie
Unfortunately, most of this book is built on nothing but Stanley Williams' ego. After parading around the media for years bragging about how he had been the only survivor of a scientific expedition on Galeras, Williams continues the lie by writing a book about the explosion but conveniently forgets about the other 5 scientists who got out alive. A more compelling and truthful account about Galeras is the book by Victoria Bruce called "No Apparent Danger". Bruce took the time to interview the dozens of people involved with the Galeras tragedy and so her book is much more broad-based than the single-handed novel written by Williams.

Daring the goddess
In his quest for knowledge that could save thousands of lives, Williams entered where most would fear to tread, the crater of an active volcano. Like others before him, he was caught by whimsical nature of this most awesome phenomenon. It erupted, taking the lives of six of his colleagues; Williams was perched just over the rim of the crater. Williams, to his own amazement, survived, but remains of some of his friends and co-workers were never found. This book is a testament to the few courageous scientists around the world who climb and investigate these capricious mountains. Williams captivates the reader with the subject of volcanology and descriptions of those who brave the risks to study the goddess Pele's offspring.

In telling his own story of risk, injury and survival, Williams recounts his life and his colleagues' around the world. They come from many lands - Russia, Italy, Columbia and other regions beset by earth's upheavals. Williams, almost an anomaly as a native of Illinois - far from any volcanic activity [except, perhaps, politically], is intensely dedicated to the science. He describes the various volcanic processes and the impact volcanoes have had down the ages. The aim of the studies is to learn how to forecast eruptions. A major success in that endeavour was the saving of thousands of lives when the Philippine mountain Pinatubo erupted in 1991. Galeras, the Columbian volcano that nearly took Williams life, is neighbour to a town of three hundred thousand, Pasto. Attempts to instill evacuation programmes there was met with derision and resentment - it would hurt business.

Williams' accounts of volcano disasters make enthralling reading. From Pliny the Younger's attempt to rescue his uncle during Pompeii's famous outburst to modern eruptions, the failure of human populations to accommodate the threat are vivid examples of short-sighted views. Williams stresses the obvious threats, lava flows, "pyroclastic" flows of mud, ash and rocks mixed with toxic gases. He also recounts poorly recognized after effects the debris can evoke - chemical poisonings and crop and herd losses. Famine is a regular result of volcanic activity. Volcanoes are capable of global climate impact, the most famous being the 1815 Tambora explosion resulting in New England's "Year Without A Summer" which devastated crops and herds over wide areas. Williams attributes the wave of Western expansion to the impact of an eruption "a world away."

As a combined personal account and scientific study, there are few faults in this book. One can only hope someone derives a synonym for "pyroclastic flows" someday. Williams feelings about the event and the subsequent lives of the survivors are told with intense feeling. One can only sympathise with his distress at losing friends and co-workers and how the families bore up under the stress. His historical accounts cover both fact and mythology. Strangely, although Williams describes many of the gods associated with vulcanism, he omits the only American deity - Pele. As capricious as the Hawaiian goddess is, Williams reminds us that the island volcanoes don't threaten explosive eruptions. While that might offer some mild comfort to that State, Mammoth Mountain in California remains an unheralded threat to thousands in the Golden State. ... Read more

Book Description

In the American Southwest, turquoise is a highly prized gemstone with great cultural significance. Author Joe Dan Lowry is recognized worldwide as a leading expert on the subject, and Turquoise Unearthed: An Illustrated Guide is the definitive resource for rock hounds and serious collectors alike. Lowry describes the fascinating history of turquoise mining in the American Southwest and reveals the astonishing variety of colors and forms that make this a gemstone like no other. Among Native American peoples of the Southwest, turquoise is especially prized, with blue stones symbolizing "Father Sky" and greener ones evoking "Mother Earth." This lavishly illustrated volume also features some of the finest examples of antique and contemporary Southwest Indian turquoise jewelry. 70 color photographs and illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun with FORTRAN
This book is not an opportunity to use the earth to explain continuous media. Continuum mechanics explains much of the behavior that is observed on the earth. S&W is hardcore geophysics - not for the faint-hearted! The book does still use FORTRAN - can we please move on? But the derivation of the wave equation in the second chapter is a key for any PhD wanna-be to learn for their comps. ... Read more

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Additional material in English on the Chengjiang fossils
This book is an excellent source of information on these remarkable fossils. The color photography adds materially to the pleasure of reading this book and the reconstruction black and white drawings shown are a must. Although many specimens show these reconstuctions some do not.

There is one incorrect statement regarding the book -"...this is the first book in English to provide fossil enthusiasts.......".

Another excellent publication which has many color plates and reconstructions in English is found in "The Cambrian Explosion and the Fossil Record" ISSN 1015-8448 Bulletin of the National Museum of Natural Science by Junyuan Chen, Yen-Nnien Cheng, H.V. Iten Guest Editors. The book is soft bound and is 316 pages, most of which is on the Chengijang fauna, Publication date 31 Dec. 1997.

These two publications are both excellent and if you have a real desire to find out more about these extraordinary fossils I highly recommend both books.

The Bulletin of National Museum of Natural Science is published by the Division of Collection and Research, National Museum of Natural Science . 1, Kuan-chien Road Taichung, Taiwan 404, R.O.C. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Required reading for anyone in the Mississippi Valley
The dangerous propensities of the midcontinental earthquake zone known by the name of the New Madrid fault system are part and parcel of life in the area where the Ohio River joins the Mississippi river system. In 1811 and 1812, a bone-shattering series of earthquakes took place here, three of which are estimated at over 8.3 on the Richter scale, devastating this region, creating new lakes, making the Mississippi run backwards for a time, raising hills, and changing river courses. If such a series of events took place today, the consequences would be almost unimaginable.

Atkinson's book explores these matters with a studied eye, an easily understoood writing style, and contains many excellent diagrams forecasting where future quake damage will occur, and in what amount. It also contains a shocking series of narratives about how little has been done to prepare for the next emergency. Make no mistake, the New Madrid earthquakes of the early nineteenth century are not the last seismic events in this region.

This book should be required reading for every local and state government official in this region and, especially for every civil defense person. While no one knows when the next giant eathquake will occur, and it may be some hundreds of years away, the magnitude of the potential disaster dictates readiness now. Examples would include strict rules regarding construction of building highways, bridges, pipelines, levees, sewage and water systems and the like. This book points out clearly what should be done.

Irecommend the book highly.

The Need for Earthquake Preparedness
This book does an excellent job of describing the recent history of the New Madrid fault, and the impact of recorded earthquakes in that area.

The book also serves as an effective planning guide for government agencies, businesses, and indiviuals. Proper preparation is critical if this now highly developed region is to survive another earthquake or series of earthquakes such as those that occured in 1811-12. ... Read more

Book Description

Jeremy Green's systematic overview of maritime archaeology offers a step-by-step description of this fast-growing field. With new information about the use of computers and Global Positioning Systems, the second edition of this handbook shows how to extract as much information as possible from a site, how to record and document the data, and how to act ethically and responsibly wth the artifacts. Treating underwater archaeology as a discipline, the book demonstrates how archaeologists, "looters," academics, and governments interact and how the market for archaeological artifacts creates obstacles and opportunities for these groups. Well illustrated and comprehensive in its approach to the subject, this book provides an essential foundation for everybody interested in underwater environments, submerged land structures, and conditions created by sea level changes.

*Covers five broad areas: searching for sites, recording sites, excavation, management of collections, and study, research and publication
*Describes a variety of techniques and procedures in considerable detail, accessible to both professional and amateur archaeologists
*More than 250 photographs, charts, and diagrams explain everything from how to operate a sextant and a hand-held GPS to how a swim line should be laid out by the dive team before excavation begins ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Hooke's hypotheses concerning the origin of terrestrial features were of major importance to the development of geology. This book interprets Hooke's Lectures and Discourses of Earthquakes, and Subterraneous Eruptions (1667-1694). The volume consists of the original text of the Discourses transposed into modern type and paired with explanatory annotations; a brief up-to-date biography of Hooke, with emphasis on his geological contributions; and a comparison of selected passages from James Hutton, to show the transmission of ideas and Hooke's influence on later geologists. It will attract Earth scientists and science historians, along with general readers interested in the history of geology. ... Read more

Book Description

A straight-forward , easy to understand presentation of hydraulic and hydrologic processes using the control volume approach. The author extends these processes into practical applications for water use and water excess, including water distribution systems, stormwater control, and flood storage systems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Water Resources at your finger tips!
Larry W. Mays has written an outstanding text that provide students with a complete picture of water resources engineering by integrating the fundamental concepts of fluid mechanics, hydraulics, hydrology, and contaminant transport processes. The material in the text is presented from first principles, is rigorous, is relevant to the practice of water resources engineering, and is reinforced by detailed presetations of design applications. A text worth having next to vintage books on this subject in W-R engineers' library. ... Read more

Book Description

Field work, supplemented by laboratory studies, is acornerstone for the geological sciences. This volume provides anintroduction to general field work through selected topics thatillustrate specific techniques and methodologies. One hundred andtwenty-three main entries prepared by leading authorities from aroundthe world deal with aspects of exploration surveys, geotechnicalengineering, environmental management. field techniques, mapping,prospecting, and mining. Special efforts were made to include topics that consider aspects ofenvironmental geology in particular those subjects that involve fieldinspections related to, for example, the placement of artificialfills, sediment control in canals and waterways, the geologic effectsof cities, or the importance of expansive soils to environmentalmanagement and engineering. In addition, some widely ranging topicsdealing with legal affairs, geological methodology, the scope andorganization of geology, report writing, and other concepts, such asthose related to plate tectonics and continental drift, provide anecessary perspective to the arena of field geology. ... Read more