Book Description

An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics represents the first introductory text to describe the developing field of environmental geophysics. A significant proportion of the material has never before been featured in a book of this type; particularly the case histories, some of which have never been published. The geographical basis of the case histories is worldwide, with examples originating from Australia to North America, Arctic Canada to the Antarctic, and from Europe to China. Some of the new material includes chapters on detailed survey design, Ground Penetrating Radar, electro-magnetic methods in environmental applications, electrical Sub-Surface Imaging (2-D tomography), Spectral Induced Polarisation, and high resolution engineering reflection seismology. The range of applications covered includes mineral and hydrocarbon exploration, but the greatest emphasis is on the use of geophysics in civil engineering, and in environmental and groundwater investigations. The level of mathematics and physics is deliberately kept to a minimum but is described qualitatively within the text. Relevant mathematical expressions are separated into boxes to supplement the text and the book is profusely illustrated with many figures and line drawings. Ideal for students wanting a broad introduction to the subject, the book is also designed for practising civil engineers, geologists, archaeologists and environmental scientists who need an overview of modern geophysical methods relevant to their discipline. This book is the first to provide such a comprehensive coverage of environmental geophysics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A new textbook
The book covers the most important methods of applied and environmental geophysics as used nowadays. The descriptions of the classical methods is similar to the descriptions found in the classical textbooks. The major value of this title is the new material and the case histories which have never been published before, especially the ones focused on GPR. ... Read more

Book Description

From prehistoric times to the fiery destruction of Pompeii in 79 A.D. and the more recent pyrotechnics of Mt. St. Helens, volcanic eruptions have aroused fear, inspired myths and religious worship, and prompted heated philosophical and scientific debate. Melting the Earth chronicles humankind's attempt to understand this terrifying phenomenon and provides a fascinating look at how our conception of volcanoes has changed as knowledge of the earth's internal processes has deepened over the centuries.A practicing volcanologist and native of Iceland, where volcanoes are frequently active, Haraldur Sigurdsson considers how philosophers and scientists have attempted to answer the question: Why do volcanoes erupt? He takes us through the ideas of the ancient Greeks--who proposed that volcanoes resulted from the venting of subterranean winds--and the internal combustion theories of Roman times, and notes how thinking about volcanoes took a backward, symbolic turn with the rise of Christian conceptions of Hell, a direction that would not be reversed until the Renaissance. He chronicles the 18th-century conflict between the Neptunists, who believed that volcanic rocks originated from oceanic accretions, and the Plutonists, who argued for the existence of a molten planetary core, and traces how volcanology moved from "divine science" and "armchair geology" to empirical field study with the rise of 19th century naturalism. Finally, Sigurdsson describes how 19th and 20th century research in thermodynamics, petrology, geochemistry and plate tectonics contribute to the current understanding of volcanic activity.Drawing liberally from classical sources and firsthand accounts, this chronicle is not only a colorful history of volcanology, but an engrossing chapter in the development of scientific thought. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very good book
"Melting the Earth"
The history of ideas on volcanic eruptions

By Haraldur Sigurdsson
First Draft By Matt Lindsey
Geo 103

The book I chose to read was "Melting the Earth" by Haraldur Sigurdsson. This book covers two of my most favorite subjects History and geology, which made this book even more interesting to read. Early Sigurdsson writes on subjects from, the Polynesian people and there fire myth Maui, who lives in the far depths of the earth, and when he turns while dreaming. He causes earthquakes on the earth above to the discovery of radiology. If you want to read a captivating and educational book about the history of volcanoes containing a wide variety of historical an mythical facts, I truly recommend this book.

In the beginning of this book, Sigurdsson explains early source of fire, some possible ways it was first introduced and used throughout the years to come. An excellent example was 600,000 year old ovens in china to burnt clay found in Africa that dated a staggering 1.5 million years old. Once the early homo-erectus learned of fire there culture changed forever, now they were able to heat and shape rocks more efficiently. But the earliest know form of tools made by homo-erectus was 2.5 million years ago in eastern Africa, made of obsidian (volcanic black glass). Later in this book, Sigurdsson touches on such people as, Kelvin, Zeus other Greek gods, Homer, Socrates, Plato. Then he moves on to discus the bible, and many more verities of philosophers and legends in several different cultures from around the world. World tragedies and accounts of mass destruction are accounted throughout this book, from risky sulfur mining in very active volcanoes to earthquakes that kill 800,000 people, with one major eruption.

About 3/4ths the way through the book he starts delegating a lot about the sources of volcanoes and the cause for there mass eruptions, he also discusses many different geologists that have also studied in this area, comparing both his ideas and theirs to form an overall complete analysis of the history of volcanoes.

It isn't till the last part of the book, he actually starts describing the earth and its mantel strictly on plate tectonics and magma generation. With the discovery of the solid mantel below our feet. In the very last page, he also talks about how major volcanic activity is not limited to earth alone, in fact many planets have had explosions almost 10 times what we do today. Leaving the everlasting question, is there life elsewhere in the galaxy?

I thought this was a very good book, mainly the fact that it was able to keep your attention throughout the whole thing, by bringing up myths from the pacific islands to actual catastrophes, from the first know use of fire to radio carbon of today, this book hits you with just about everything from every angle you could possibly imagine, from the philosophers point of view to the geologists findings through many long tedious expeditions.

Something's I really did not like about this book, was that he made constant reference to others work, and many books surrounding this field, though the points made with Sigurdsson references were helpful it was just that in my opinion he had to many and made it a little hard to fallow.

Overall I think this was a good book. I recommend that if you are interested in volcanoes and the earth around us, you should definitely read this book. The good out weights the bad aspects in this book, you will be in for a great treat as you read about the myths and legends of the past world to the facts and seemingly strange properties of the world today.

Great book. Page-check your copy before you pay for it, tho
This is a terrific book, but I'm going to have to find another copy before I can read Chapter 15 (Radioactive Heat and Convection). My copy suffers from a serious bookbinding error, in which pages 197-228 are missing and pages 165-196 are repeated. (The second page 165 follows the first page 196, and page 229 follows the second page 196.)

I also have a couple of nits to pick that I would have expected the editors at Oxford University Press to catch before the book reached print.

(1) Early in the book, Homer and Ulysses are referred to in a sequence of two sentences which suggests that Ulysses was a character in Homer's work, which he wasn't. Ulysses stars in Virgil's Latin epic "The Aeneid", which borrows heavily from Homer's Greek epic "The Odyssey", starring Odysseus. So the discerning reader is left not knowing whether the subsequent quotation is from Homer's Odyssey or from Virgil's Aeneid.

(2) Early in the book, the assassination of Julius Caesar is referred to as the death of the Romans' emperor. But Julius Caesar was never emperor. He was assassinated to prevent him from becoming king. His adopted son Octavian invented the title of emperor ("imperator" = commander) years later--specifically to avoid offending the Romans' aversion to kings--when he had defeated his own rivals and had assumed absolute power in Rome as Caesar Augustus.

(3) The conversion from a temperature _difference_ of 3 Celsius degrees into a temperature _difference_ of 37.5 Fahrenheit degrees is completely wrong. It incorrectly includes the 32-Fahrenheit-degree offset for the freezing temperature of water (32F = 0 C), which isn't involved at all in a temperature-difference conversion. The correct conversion is to a temperature difference of 5.5 Fahrenheit degrees. The conversion of a Celsius temperature _level_ to a Fahrenheit temperature _level_ on the same page is done correctly, however. I suspect that the erroneous conversion was done by a literary editor who wasn't as familiar with temperature scales as I am sure the author must be.

But these are minor (though annoying) editorial flaws in a well-written, enlightening book. I recommend it highly.

Now, if I can just get my hands on pages 197-228 somewhere...

.-)

Excellant compendium of sources and resources
Two of my favorite subjects are history and geology, so this was a double treat for me, since it's sort of a history of geology! Sigurdsson has created a marvelous compendium of sources on the subject of volcanism from mythologies among people native to areas of techtonic activity through Roman authors on the natural sciences to European and American scientists and philosophers into the early 20th Century. Probably one of the most significant things I discovered in reading the book was the underlying cause for the distain of the average person for the "rational" approach of the scientist. In laying before me the various theories for the cause of volcanism and earthquakes, Sigurdsson indirectly makes it clear that the "logical" assumptions of men of science can prove to be wrong, and the best research--for the technology of the time--can still lead to erroneous evaluations shaped by preconceived notions of the world, whether those concepts are biblico/religious ideology or a strongly held school of scientific thinking. Only by reading the entire book does one realize, also indirectly, that the scientific method of enquirey is the only way of gaining ground on the principles underlying natural processes. While the various authors of different theories may be in part or even entirely wrong, it is only through the testing and retesting of theories against the sterling measure of reality, that a clearer, working model of how nature works will arise. What is truely amazing is that so many early thinkers came to have at least a partial understanding of volcanism and of planetary and solar formation in modern terms. Also impressive were the novel approaches to experimental geology that were acheived. Many of the early investigators were truely creative people. Sigurdsson appears to be very well read, and his appreciation of the value of the visual documentary record, in forms such as pre-literate paintings and woodcut and engraved illustrations from rare books, is impressive and worthy of an individual trained in historical research rather than in the sciences. For anyone with an interest in geology, an interest in history, or simply someone who appreciates a good job of research, this is an excellant volume. It would also be a useful starting point for research on most other topics in the history of science, as many of the better resources are mentioned in the text and in the bibliographic entries for each chapter at the end of it. Some of the latter are in German, French or Italian, although many are in English translation in Sigurdsson's citing or can be found in English translations elsewhere.

A scientific journey through history, art and philosophy
Haraldur Sigurdsson's work, Melting the Earth: the history of ideas on volcanic eruptions, is a rare blend of art, history and scientific research. Writing with an ease that belies profound historical and scientific research, the author explores centuries-old myths and theories about why volcanoes erupt, offers well-researched scientific explanations about volcanic activity, and provides us with philosophical inspirations about man's constant intrigue with the magic of nature. Beautifully complemented with art and photography, this work is easily understood by those of us whose only knowledge of volcanoes is having lived in the shadow of one.

Cecile Comp, Caribbean volcanic island native

Buy Two of These!!
Dr. Sigurdsson has woven a superbly documented and wonderfully informative chronical of volcanic phenomena and theory. In Melting the Earth: The History of Ideas on Volcanic Eruptions, Sigurdsson introduces us to ancient philosophers and contemporary scientists alike. We learn of the Earth's volcanic dynamos: Thera, Etna, Vesuvius, (to mention a few)--from the events leading up to their explosive eruptions, environmental effcts.

Dr. Sigurdsson has compiled a true treasure a preeminent source book on the history of volcanic theory make for provocative reading, causing, awe and respect for this fearsome force of nature. Led by Dr. Sigurdsson's love of the subject and his apt narrative style, we come away educated, entertained, and hungry for more. ... Read more

Book Description

Volcanic eruptions are the clear and dramatic expression of dynamic processes going on in planet Earth. The author, one of the most profound specialists in the field of volcanology, explains in a concise and easy to understand manner the basics and most recent findings in the field of volcanology. Based on over 300 color figures and the model of plate tectonics the book offers an insight in the generation of magmas and the occurrence and origin of volcanoes. The analysis and description of volcanic structures is followed by process oriented chapters discussing the role of magmatic gases as well as explosive mechanisms and sedimentation of volcanic material. The final chapters deal with the forecast of eruptions and their influence on climate. Students and scientists of a broad rage of fields will use this book as an interesting and attractive source of information. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1906, after an earthquake wiped out much of San Francisco, leading California officials and scientists described the disaster as a one-time occurrence and assured the public that it had nothing to worry about. California Earthquakes explains how, over time, this attitude changed, and Californians came to accept earthquakes as a significant threat, as well as to understand how science and technology could reduce this threat.

Carl-Henry Geschwind tells the story of the small group of scientists and engineers who—in tension with real estate speculators and other pro-growth forces, private and public—developed the scientific and political infrastructure necessary to implement greater earthquake awareness. Through their political connections, these reformers succeeded in building a state apparatus in which regulators could work together with scientists and engineers to reduce earthquake hazards. Geschwind details the conflicts among scientists and engineers about how best to reduce these risks, and he outlines the dramatic twentieth-century advances in our understanding of earthquakes—their causes and how we can try to prepare for them.

Tracing the history of seismology and the rise of the regulatory state and of environmental awareness, California Earthquakes tells how earthquake-hazard management came about, why some groups assisted and others fought it, and how scientists and engineers helped shape it. ... Read more

Book Description

This book focuses on natural disasters: how the normal processes of the Earth concentrate their energies and deal heavy blows to humans and their structures. "Natural Disasters" is concerned with how the natural world operates and, in so doing, kills and maims humans and destroys their works.

Throughout the book, certain themes are maintained:

* energy sources underlying disasters

* plate tectonics and climate change

* Earth processes operating in rock, water, and atmosphere

* significance of geologic time

* complexities of multiple variables operating simultaneously

* detailed and readable case histories.

The text aims to explain important principles about the Earth and then develop further understanding through numerous case histories. The book includes recent happenings such as the Western United States wildfires during the summer 2000 and the Los Alamos prescribed burn, also occurring in 2000. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Natural Disasters makes geology interesting!
As a developer of geology and earth science college textbooks for major publishers, I've worked with a lot of excellent books. Patrick Abbott's Natural Disasters, second edition, is one of the most interesting, readable, informative, and engaging books available. It doesn't have all the four-color diagrams and photos, and doesn't need them. The book tells many fascinating stories that engage students (e.g., the Lisbon earthquake of 1755), relates these natural events to humanity, and offers outstanding short summaries of geologic phenomena and events (e.g., the K-T extinction). This is one of the few books I keep on my desk to illustrate geologic events and principles for friends and coworkers. Highly recommended!

A great book for beginners interested in this topic!!!
I just finished taking a course at Florida International University having to do with natural disasters and this book was the required text. I found the book very interesting and informative. The different forms of natural disasters were seperated by chapters and were very well explained. I found it very easy to learn about natural disasters using this book.

excellent book
you will learn everthing from tornadoes to earthquakes, this book will take you to an exciting adventure into natural disasters. ... Read more

Book Description

From the first earthquake David L. Ulin experienced in San Francisco at age eighteen, he was fascinated with the daily lives of Californians, who seem to be going about their business with just an occasional rumbling interruption. But these tectonic shifts could easily wreak cataclysmic havoc, just as they did in the great earthquake of 1906.

In The Myth of Solid Ground, Ulin explores how an unlikely collection of scientists, psychics, and apocalyptics have made startlingly accurate earthquake predictions based on everything from magnetic fields to the behavior of whales. In the end, Ulin uses the world of earthquake prediction to explore the deep fault lines of belief and the human longing to hold control, no matter how misguided, over a mysterious and deadly phenomenon that is as much a part of California as speed, youth, and celebrity. ... Read more

Book Description

In the past decade over ten major tsunami events have impacted on the world's coastlines, causing devastation and loss of life. Evidence for past great tsunami, or 'mega-tsunami', has also recently been discovered along apparently aseismic and protected coastlines. With a large proportion of the world's population living on the coastline, the threat from tsunami can not be ignored. This book comprehensively describes the nature and process of tsunami, outlines field evidence for detecting the presence of past events, and describes particular events linked to earthquakes, volcanoes, submarine landslides and meteorite impacts. While technical aspects are covered, much of the text can be read by anyone with a high school education. The book will appeal to students and researchers in geomorphology, earth and environmental science, and emergency planning, and will also be attractive for the general public interested in natural hazards and new developments in science. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Read on the Subject But Fairly Technical
In a lot of science books written for the general reader, the complaint is that the material is sensationalistic and over-simplified. Edward Bryant almost errs in the other direction. His evidence that very large Tsunami have played a key role in shaping many coastal regions is extremely well-presented and will contain lots of new information for even dedicated followers of Earth Science news.

On the other hand, while reading information about landscapes re-arranged by truly massive "mega-tsunami," one sometimes longs for livelier prose. The book may also be something of a slog now and then for people with no background in Earth Science.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone with a serious interest in the subject, and certainly to anyone who needs to consider tsunami from a policy-making point of view. ... Read more

Book Description

The Rock Physics Handbook conveniently brings together the theoretical and empirical relations that form the foundations of rock physics, with particular emphasis on seismic properties. It also includes commonly used models and relations for electrical and dielectric rock properties. Seventy-six articles concisely summarize a wide range of topics, including wave propagation, AVO-AVOZ, effective media, poroelasticity, pore fluid flow and diffusion. The book contains overviews of dispersion mechanisms, fluid substitution, and Vp-Vs relations. Useful empirical results on reservoir rocks and sediments, granular media, tables of mineral data, and an atlas of reservoir rock properties complete the text. This distillation of an otherwise scattered and eclectic mass of knowledge is presented in a form that can be immediately applied to solve real problems.Geophysics professionals, researchers and students as well as petroleum engineers, well log analysts, and environmental geoscientists will value The Rock Physics Handbook as a unique resource. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Rock Physics Handbook
Excellent reference. Improvements would be more explanation of the variables in the equations. The index at the back is off, for example a reference on page 60 (Greenberg et al)is actually on page 64 and another topic that is supposed to be on page 235 is actually on page 246 (Smith and Gidlow).

The Rock Physics Handbook Review
The book works well as a reference, but contains only cursory examinations of some topics. Governing and consistutive equtions are comprehensively included in the text. Worth the expense. ... Read more

Book Description

The two volumes of The Seismic Wavefield are a comprehensive guide to the understanding of seismograms in terms of physical propagation processes within the Earth. The focus is on the observation of earthquakes and man-made sources on all scales, for both body waves and surface waves. Volume I provides a general introduction and a development of the theoretical background for seismic waves. Volume II looks at the way in which observed seismograms relate to the propagation processes. Volume II also discusses local and regional seismic events, global wave propagation, and the three-dimensional Earth. ... Read more

Book Description

Presenting a comprehensive introduction to the propagation of high-frequency body-waves in elastodynamics, this volume develops the theory of seismic wave propagation in acoustic, elastic and anisotropic media to allow seismic waves to be modelled in complex, realistic three-dimensional Earth models. The book is a text for graduate courses in theoretical seismology, and a reference for all academic and industrial seismologists using numerical modelling methods. Exercises and suggestions for further reading are included in each chapter. ... Read more

Book Description

Complete, practical coverage of the evaluation, analysis, and design and code requirements of seismic isolation systems.

Based on the concept of reducing seismic demand rather than increasing the earthquake resistance capacity of structures, seismic isolation is a surprisingly simple approach to earthquake protection. However, proper application of this technology within complex seismic design code requirements is both complicated and difficult.

Design of Seismic Isolated Structures provides complete, up-to-date coverage of seismic isolation, complete with a systematic development of concepts in theory and practical application supplemented by numerical examples. This book/CD-ROM set helps design professionals navigate and understand the ideas and procedures involved in the analysis, design, and development of specifications for seismic isolated structures. It also provides a framework for satisfying code requirements while retaining the favorable cost-effective and damage control aspects of this new technology. An indispensable resource for practicing and aspiring engineers and architects, Design of Seismic Isolated Structures includes:
* Isolation system components.
* Complete coverage of code provisions for seismic isolation.
* Mechanical characteristics and modeling of isolators.
* Buckling and stability of elastomeric isolators.
* Examples of seismic isolation designs.
* Specifications for the design, manufacture, and testing of isolation devices. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book in base isolation!
This book is suitable for students and engineerings. The author brings us through the history of base isolation. From the simplest rolled rocks is the past to the new technique now. Let us understand the simply theory of base isolation and its application in the world. The code provisions for seismic isolation compares the 3 design codes and its purpose in U.S. The example explains the code inadequate and too complex for practical use. The code now had made it simple! The best part of this book is his design details; Dr. Kelly had isolator design and construction experience for years. He points out many details that a new design may not considered or even noticed. It also offers specifications for isolation manufacturing and testing. With this book in hand, we can know all about base isolation.

cool
This book is very interesting and usefull ... Read more

Book Description

On November 1, 1755-All Saint's Day-a massive earthquake struck Europe's Iberian Peninsula and destroyed the city of Lisbon. Churches collapsed upon thousands of worshippers celebrating the holy day. Earthquakes in Human History tells the story of that calamity and other epic earthquakes. The authors, Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders, recapture the power of their previous book, Volcanoes in Human History. They vividly explain the geological processes responsible for earthquakes, and they describe how these events have had long-lasting aftereffects on human societies and cultures. Their accounts are enlivened with quotations from contemporary literature and from later reports.

In the chaos following the Lisbon quake, government and church leaders vied for control. The Marqu-s de Pombal rose to power and became a virtual dictator. As a result, the Roman Catholic Jesuit Order lost much of its influence in Portugal. Voltaire wrote his satirical work Candide to refute the philosophy of "optimism," the belief that God had created a perfect world. And the 1755 earthquake sparked the search for a scientific understanding of natural disasters.

Ranging from an examination of temblors mentioned in the Bible, to a richly detailed account of the 1906 catastrophe in San Francisco, to Japan's Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, to the Peruvian earthquake in 1970 (the Western Hemisphere's greatest natural disaster), this book is an unequaled testament to a natural phenomenon that can be not only terrifying but also threatening to humankind's fragile existence, always at risk because of destructive powers beyond our control.

... Read more

Book Description

The San Andreas Fault is the most famous fault on Earth, runningnearly the entire length of western California from just north of the Mexicanborder to the Mendocino coast. It is a very active tectonic boundary whichdirectly affects the lives of more than twenty million people. The San AndreasFault has been responsible for shaping much that is beautiful about California,and it also has the capacity to destroy the communities that lie along itscourse. A Land in Motion provides a geologic tour of the San Andreas Fault in anaccessible narrative punctuated with dramatic color illustrations, livelyanecdotes, and authoritative information about earthquakes. As he tours the length of the fault, Michael Collier provides a valuableoverview of plate tectonics and gives a geologic history of the San AndreasFault written for non-scientists. He discusses the evolution of seismology as ascience and traces the knowledge that scientists have gleaned about earthquakesand plate tectonics from their work on the San Andreas Fault. Collier looks intohuman history as well, discussing major earthquakes that have hit the SanAndreas, including the famous San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the San Fernandoquake of 1971, the Loma Prieta quake of 1989, the Landers quake of 1992, andmany lesser temblors. Collier illustrates his text with magnificent photographs that highlight some ofthe most beloved landscapes in California. He provides excellent views of thefault throughout the stateof Crystal Springs reservoir near San Francisco, ofPinnacles National Monument east of Monterey, of the Golden Gate NationalRecreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore near San Francisco, and more. Collier concludes his tour of the San Andreas Fault with a provocativediscussion on earthquake prediction versus earthquake planning that allCaliforniansand all who live where earthquakes occurwill want to read. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A superb book about an awesome phenomenon
The San Andreas Fault traverses much of California from the Mexican border to far in the north. Those who have never seen it sometimes picture this tectonic feature as a lurking menace ready to swallow whole towns at a second's whim. This highly accurate book dispels such misimpressions and passes along a good deal of valid scientific information in an interesting, understandable way.

The book shows in colored diagrams and easily read narrative how plate tectonics has worked to create this piece of California that is moving inexorably northwest. The writers clearly explain how and why earthquake-producing stresses build up in and along the fault. Brief, but spectacular, histories show what happens when these stresses are released.

The book is exceptional in that it discusses rather esoteric scientific concepts in a non-patronizing way. The text is neither dry, nor overly simplistic. Any person with a limited scientific background and a high school education can grasp the concepts being examined.

The photographs of such things as offset streams, scarps, trees with interrupted growth, and sag ponds are carefully selected, and beautifully crafted. These follow the text well, avoiding the liability of having to probe through the book to match the picture with the explanation. They will call you to come to California.

Two excellent features are discussion segments with geologists who work on solving the fault's mysteries, and a section on parklands in which San Andreas Fault features may be found.

I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone planning a trip to California, anyone who has an interest in the Earth and its processes, and anyone who just likes a darn good read.

great pictures
Nice book. Fast reading. Excellent pictures. This book really hits home for Californians. Decent explanation of how the earth is moving.

This book rocks!
Michael Collier has beautifully written and photographed the geological history of the San Andreas Fault. In what COULD have been an extremely dry subject he has captured my imagination with the most gorgeous photos and his plain-speaking explanations of geology. It's literally a page turner, too, with the flip-page diagram, showing the movement of the tectonic plates. A beautiful book worthy of the coffee table and a wonderful addition to my reference library. ... Read more

Book Description

Volcanoes describes in stunning detail 100 active volcanoes around the planet. Every entry describes the principal characteristics of the volcano, such as the geodynamic environment leading to its formation, its structure, special features, morphology, its method of eruption, and the materials erupted. There are also traveler's directions for reaching each volcano.

The word volcano usually evokes images of cone-shaped mountains with smooth, steep slopes and a plume of smoke rising skyward. This, however, is only one of the five types of volcanoes. In this comprehensive guide, readers will learn about these basic types:

- Island-Arc volcanoes (Alaska, Japan and Indonesia)
- Hot-Spot volcanoes (Hawaii)
- Ocean-Ridge volcanoes (Iceland)
- Continental-Margin volcanoes (North America and the Andes)
- Continental-Rift volcanoes (eastern Africa)

Written and illustrated by experts in the field, Volcanoes will appeal to readers interested in science and natural history; travelers to regions of volcanic activity; students; and inhabitants of areas exposed to volcanic eruptions.

The book also addresses predicting eruptions and how to minimize the risks posed by them. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stunning and beautiful; everything you always wanted to know
This a beautifully printed little book, loaded with jaw-dropping, high-resolution photographs and diagrams in stunning color. The first part of the book covers the science of volcanism, and the second part (consisting about 80% of the book) is something I have always wanted: a survey of all the great volcanoes of the world, each illustrated with beautiful photographs and diagrams. The lattitude and longitude as well as the elevation of each volcano is given, followed by the specification of the volcano type, a geological history of the volcano, and a description of access and principal attractions. You're not going to believe the variety of colors and types of volcanoes photographed in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This book introduces geophysicists and geologists to the technique of interpreting 3-D seismic data.The topics it covers include basic structural interpretation and map-making; the use of 3-D visualization methods; interpretation of seismic amplitudes; the generation and use of AVO and acoustic impedance datasets; and time-lapse seismic mapping.Written by professional geophysicists with many years of working experience in the oil industry, the book will be indispensable for graduate students, researchers, and new entrants into the petroleum industry. ... Read more

Book Description

Paleoseismology (the study of "ancient" earthquakes) has become an important component of seismic risk analysis, which is mandated for nuclear power plants, dams, waste repositories, and other critical structures. This book is the first in the English language to be devoted solely to paleoseismology. It summarizes the development of the field from the 1960s to the present, encompassing material that is currently widely dispersed in journal articles. The 10 chapters included in this text span the entire range of techniques currently used in paleoseismic reconstruction, and are contributed by active practitioners at the forefront of paleoseismic research.

* First book solely devoted to paleoseismology
* Summarizes the development of the field from the 1960's to the present
* Includes a comprehensive review of the techniques currently used in paleoseismology
* Emphasizes practical methods of data collection and field studies
* Covers interpretation of field data based on current theory concerning fault segmentation and recurrence cycles
* Contains more than 170 line drawings and 50 photographs of paleoseismic phenomena ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Significant New Text in Paleoseismology
The ten chapters in this new text are a significant new contribution to paleoseismology. The book is divided according to different types of tectonic geomorphology. Each chapter is written by a geologist or team of geologists who are recognized specialists. It has particular application to California where we have strike-slip faulting, thrust faulting, normal faulting, and liquefaction. Each chapter carries citations of pertinent journal articles that have appeared in the past decade. Clear insights have been gained from these California earthquakes: 1989 Loma Prieta, 1992 Cape Mendocino, 1992 Landers, and 1994 Northridge events. The editor and co-author of several chapters is Dr. Jim McCalprin, an active member of the Association of Engineering Geologists and many other geological professional societies. He is to be commended for this seminal work; it is a unique and new contribution to paleoseismology. It is suitable for upper-division geology students, graduate students, and practicing engineering geologists. I use my copy several times per week for reference and citation in hospital and school site reviews. ---Robert H. Sydnor, Senior Engineering Geologist, California Division of Mines and Geology, Sacramento ... Read more

Book Description

There is emerging interest among researchers from various subject areas in understanding the interplay of earthquake and volcanic occurrences, archaeology and history through the discipline of archaeoseismology. This book focuses on the historical earthquakes of North and South America, and describes the effects of those earthquakes, using illustrated examples of recent structural damage at archaeological sites. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first book to really make sense of the dizzying array of information that has emerged in recent decades about earthquakes. Susan Hough, a research seismologist in one of North America's most active earthquake zones and an expert at communicating this complex science to the public, separates fact from fiction. She fills in many of the blanks that remained after plate tectonics theory, in the 1960s, first gave us a rough idea of just what earthquakes are about. How do earthquakes start? How do they stop? Do earthquakes occur at regular intervals on faults? If not, why not? Are earthquakes predictable? How hard will the ground shake following an earthquake of a given magnitude? How does one quantify future seismic hazard?

As Hough recounts in brisk, jargon-free prose, improvements in earthquake recording capability in the 1960s and 1970s set the stage for a period of rapid development in earthquake science. Although some formidable enigmas have remained, much has been learned on critical issues such as earthquake prediction, seismic hazard assessment, and ground motion prediction. This book addresses those issues.

Because earthquake science is so new, it has rarely been presented outside of technical journals that are all but opaque to nonspecialists. Earthshaking Science changes all this. It tackles the issues at the forefront of modern seismology in a way most readers can understand. In it, an expert conveys not only the facts, but the passion and excitement associated with research at the frontiers of this fascinating field. Hough proves, beyond a doubt, that this passion and excitement is more accessible than one might think. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I agree, except.....
I agree with all of the above reviews of this book, Earthshaking Science: What We Know, and Don't Know, About Earthquakes by Susan Elizabeth Hough. It is an excellent summary of the many recent advances in seismology and is pertinent to all parts of the U.S. (even the world). However, I must strongly disagree that this book is "jargon-free." The book is loaded with the jargon of seismology (not as much as a seismology textbook). This is okay because in order to be scientifically literate, the public (especially the media!) must learn to understand some of the vocabulary of science. There are very few mathematical formulas in this book, but when they are used they are used effectively.
This book will be a fun read for people that have some scientific (especially earth sciences) background. Those with little or no science background will find this a challenging, but rewarding, read. Anyone living in earthquake-prone regions of the world must read this book.

Earthshaking Science
Earthshaking Science: What We Know (and Don't Know) about Earthquakes written by Susan Elizabeth Hough os a book that tackles the issues at the forefront of modern seismology.

Although earthquarkes have been around for eons, the science of measuring the ground motion has been really around for a few decades. Most of the information about earthquakes has been excellerated by the improvements in earthquake recording capability. This book has a straight forward approach in describing what happens durning and the causal effects of what is entailed by a tectonic event.

This book on seismology addresses earthquake prediction, seismic hazard assessment along with ground motion, magnitude and how earthquakes start. I found this book to be very readable and understandable. Since the science of seismology is so new, not much information is available outside the technical journals, but now in this book the layperson can understand the dynamics of this science.

The book has only seven chapters, but each of them when finished will impart a knowledge of seismology to the reader that you could only piecemeal before. If you want to understand why earthquakes happen where they do, then this is your book.

This book is jargon-free and the author communicates very well to the reader about a complex science in terms that are easily understood. I recommend reading this book if you want to know why the earth shakes, raddles and rolls.

Rock And Roll!!!
I live in Whittier, California and get to fill out "Did you feel it?" reports on the USGS web site several times a year. As a resident of the earthquake laboratory we call southern California, it's obvious that I should keep abreast of the latest news from the seismology labs. But what about folks in New York, NY? Or Memphis, TN? Or Charleston, SC? Earthquakes don't happen in the eastern United States...do they? Actually, not only do they happen in the eastern US, but a large earthquake in the eastern US today would probably make Loma Prieta or Northridge look like practice runs. Look around your neighborhood and the area where you work. Do you see any unreinforced brick buildings? If I have your attention and you're curious about the latest information about earthquakes, I highly recommend Susan Hough's Earthshaking Science.

Earthshaking Science is a tour to the edge of the scarp of what we do know [and what we'd like to know] about earthquakes. It is NOT a comprehensive guide to earthquakes and plate tectonics. If you're looking for the basic textbook version, try Earthquakes by Bruce Bolt or Living With Earthquakes In California by Robert Yeats. Hough takes off from the basic textbook knowledge of earthquakes and takes the reader to the edges of seismology. She covers everything from studies of ground response to the fledgling science of paleoseismology. She apologizes for a California focus, but she does quite a bit on earthquake dangers in other parts of the United States. I would recommend that potential readers have a basic background in science. If you dream of short term earthquake prediction, this book isn't the good news you've been looking for.

Whether you've read every book on earthquakes or you're a scientifically literate person who has little experience with seismology, I highly recommend Earthquaking Science by Susan Hough.

readable in a journalistic style
Dr. Hough's new book is very readable in a journalistic style, like a set of Scientific American articles, or the NY Times Sunday magazine. There is little jargon and almost no equations to slow down the reader. That makes it suitable for the general public or high school to early college textbook. But it is a little lightweight to be an advanced seismology textbook or reference work.

The first several chapters of the book explain plate tectonics and basic seismology. Then there are some very good descriptions of the state of earthquake prediction and of how the national seismic hazard maps were compiled. These are probably the best current descriptions of these topics in the general science literature and a reason to read this this book. This book also brings seismology into the 21st century, incorporating lessons from large 1990s US quakes and current seismic research.

In some respects the material resembles another journalistic seismology book "The Earth in Turmoil" by her across-the-street colleagues Dr. Sieh (with LeVay). Hough's book progresses in topical order, while Sieh's visits ten geologically active areas in North America. Hough's is slanted more on seismology and the hazards mitigation efforts of the US Geological Survey. Sieh's is slanted more geology and his specialty of understanding pre-historic quakes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Entertaining, knowlegeable reading.
I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot in the process. Read at the right time in a person's life, it could cause them to become a geologist/volcanologist, etc. ... Read more